Milgram Flashcards
What was the aim of milgrams study
too see if people will obey an authority figure even if it means causing harm to an innocent person
What was the research method of Milgram’s study
Pre experiment/ laboratory observation
= standardised procedure and carried out in controlled environment
= but only had one condition so no IV was manipulated
What was the sample and sampling technique
Self-selected sampling
=40 male participants between 20-50yrs old
=who were recruited via advert in newspaper
=Yale university, USA
=offered $4 to take part
Outline the procedure
= Participants were told that the study was about effects of punishment on learning and they would be paid $4.50 for taking part
= they were asked to draw lots for who would have the role of teacher or learner, but it was set up that Mr. Wallace (confederate) was always the learner
= participants were asked to give electric shocks increasing at 15V each time to learner for wrong answers on word pair task
= electric shock generator went from 15V to 450V, at certain voltages, confederate showed signs of pain and at 315V, he went silent
= participants were given verbal probs to continue eg. ‘please continue’ ‘it is absolutely essential that you continue’
What were the results of Milgram’s study
100% participants administered 300V
65% gave the full 450V
What was the predicted outcome compared to the actual outcome
= poll before asked senior psychology yale students to estimate outcome of experiment said 1.2% of participants would give the maximum voltage
= however 100% gave 300V, 65% gave 450V
What was the conclusion of Milgram’s study
People will obey an authority figure even if it means causing harm to an innocent person
Assess generalisability of Milgram’s study
All participants American males
sample is androcentric and not representative of wider population
Females show different levels of obedience to males
Ethnocentroc
centred around only americans
Assess reliability of milgram’s study
Standardised procedure
Script was followed and all participants heard the same recordings from Mr. Wallace.
Given same verbal prods eg. ‘You must continue’ when they wanted to stop
Applications of Milgram
shows how under pressure people will obey an authority figure
used to explain why the Nazis were so obedient to Hitler even though it led to such atrocities
also explain why people are so obedient to their bosses at work even if it might cause harm to others
Assess internal validity of Milgram
GOOD CONSTRUCT VALIDITY
Number of shocks participants were prepared to give is a good indication of obedience
GOOD EXPERIMENTAL VALIDITY
Participants believed shocks were real as showed signs of distress so genuine belief to experimental situation
Believed Mr Wallace was a participant as they rigged the draw to make it seem like Mr Wallace was randomly allocated role of learner. Also gave sample 45V shock so participants believed shocks were real
Assess external validity of Milgrams
LACKS ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY
= involved artificial situation, people don’t usually attend a university to take part in a psychology experiment in every day life
LACKS MUNDANE REALISM
= people aren’t normally asked to give electric shocks to another person for wrong answers on a word pair task
However Milgram does reflect how people behave in the real world as people do follow orders in the real world
Assess the ethics in Milgram’s study
NO INFORMED CONSENT & DECEIEVED
= they were told that the aim of the study was to investigate the effects of punishment on learning when it was actually on obedience
= also thought they were giving real electric shocks
PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM
= many experienced dafter the experiment distress and felt bad about themselves after the experiment for being so obedient .
= three people had a seizure
NO RIGHT TO WITHDRAW
= did give participants right to withdraw at the beginning, but felt they couldn’t withdraw due to verbal probs given to continue when they asked to stop
DEBREIFING
= participants were followed up a year later by psychiatrists. 84% of participants said they were glad or very glad to have taken part in the experiment
How does Milgram relate to the social area?
The social area looks at how our behaviour is influenced by other people and the social context we are in.
Milgram’s study shows how we are influenced by others - authority figures, and the social context (Yale University)
Participants obeyed the experimenter’s orders to give electric shocks to an innocent person because they saw him as a legitimate authority figure
How does Milgram’s study relate to the key theme ‘ responses to people in authority’
It looked at destructive obedience
Milgram’s study found that people find it difficult to disobey orders from a legitimate authority figure (experimenter) even when they are asked to harm another person.
65% gave 450V of electric shock to an innocent person because an experimenter asked them to.
