Milgram Flashcards
Aim of Milgram
Understand German behaviour Holocaust
Test obedience to legitimate authority
Procedure of milgram
40 volunteers - American 20-50 yrs
Paid $4.50 + told to withdraw
Voltage increased in 15V each time until 450V
4 standardised prods
Teacher could leave after all prompts
What are the 3 roles of Milgram and explain
Experimenter - prodded participant
Learner - received shock + protested
Teacher - distributed shock
Name some prods
Please continue
The experiment requires you to continue
You have no choice but to continue
How many people administered to full 450V
65%
How many continued to 300V
100%
How many dropped out at 300V
12.5%
What did some learners do to show stress
Tremble
Sweat
Bite lips
How many teachers had nervous laughter
35%
Conclusions of Milgram
Ordinary Americans = surprisingly obedient
Some factors affect obedience - competence, reputation of researcher, idea of advancing science
Generalisability of Milgram
All male - cannot generalise to females
All American - cannot generalise to other cultures
Time locked in early 1960s
Reliability of Milgram
Replicated - 19 variations
Prescripted prods + recorded response remains the same
Application of Milgram
Obedience in schools
Authority figures should wear uniform
Validity of Milgram
Lacks ecological validity - artificial
People assumed it was episode of famous prank show
Ethics of Milgram
Well-being ignored
Deceived about shocks
Not give informed consent
Did debrief
First couplet of Milgram + obedience essay
AO1: only Caucasian males
DM: Therefore, this study suffers from
AO3: Ethnocentrism- only one ethnicity studied
EDM: Furthermore, cannot be generalised to other ethnicities, may differ in obedience
Second couplet of Milgram + obedience essay
AO3: lacks ecological validity
DM: because
AO1: learners prodded with electrical shock that increases in voltage
EDM: therefore artificial task that is not representative of real life situations
Cannot give true response on how people obey
Third couplet on Milgram and obedience essay
AO3: Ethically challenged - not given right to withdraw
DM: this is supported by
AO1: prods “it is essential to continue”
Causes strsss - feel as if they cannot withdraw
EDM: however, at the start they can withdraw whenever and still get money
Forth couplet on Milgram + obedience essay
AO1: 40 male volunteers
DM: consequently this study suffers from
AO3: gender bias + androcentrism - only one gender studied
EDM: this shows that, study cannot be generalised to female population - may differ in obedience
Explain variation #7
Experimenter gives instructions and leaves teacher alone
If teachers have Qs they phone experimenter
Prods delivered over phone
Results of variation #7
Significant drop in obedience down to 22.5%
Gave lower shocks than told to do
Conclusion of variation #7
Physical presence is important for obedience
Explain variation #10
Milgram moved study to a run down office in Bridgeport - so participants don’t link study to the uni
Results of variation #10
Big drop obedience to 45.5%
Participants showed more doubts + asked more Qs
One said study is ‘heartless’
Conclusion of variation #10
Setting is not as important
Explain variation #13
20 participants
Mr Williams explains procedure and leaves
Did not tell teacher to increase shock at wrong answer
2nd confederate
Confederate suggest to take up voltage by 15V each wrong answer
Results of variation #13
Only 20% went to 450V
16 rebel participants
Conclusion to variation #13
Status of authority figure is important
Shock generator still creates obedience
Explain procedure #13a
16 Rebel participants
Confederate swaps with participants - delivers shocks
Results of variation #13a
All 16 protested
5 tried to unplug shock generator or restrain confederate
11 allowed confederate to go to 450V
What is the autonomous state
Act on own behalf + take responsibility for actions
What is the agentic shift
Switch between autonomous and agentic shift
When we perceive someone to be a legitimate source of authority and let them control our behaviour
How does the shift from the agentic shift to the agentic state occur
Diffusion of responsibility to authority figure
What is the agentic state
Carrying out orders from authority figure even if they conflict with our morals
What happens if you experience moral strain
You are going through the agentic shift
What happens if obey the order and pass into the agentic state
The responsibility is diffused onto the authority figure
First couplet of agency theory + Milgram
Moral strain - goes against morals
This is supported by
35% had nervous laughter
This shows they felt uncomfortable + stressed
Second couplet of agency theory + Milgram essay
Participants were in agentic state
This is supported by
65% going 450V
This shows they diffuse responsibility to authority figure
Third couplet of agency theory + Milgram essay
Nazis in agentic state
This is supported by
Killed millions under Hitler’s orders
This implies they do not see themselves responsible - just following orders
Fourth couplet of agency theory + Milgram essay
Diffusion of responsibility : agentic shift
This is supported by
Prods were given from figure in lab coat
Implies: authority figure + they feel as if they no longer have a choice so do not have a blame
