Milgram (1963)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To devise a technique for studying to what extent a participant will be obedient to an authority figure and to try and explain the atrocities of Nazis during WW2.

Question 2

Hypothesis

Answer 2

The presence of an authority figure will increase the level of obedience.

14 final year Yale students predicted that a mean estimate of 1.2% of participants would be obedient to the 400 volt maximum.

Question 3

Sample

Answer 3

Self-selected sample obtained through newspaper ad.

Paid $4.50 for showing up.

40 male ages 20-40 from New Haven and the surrounding communities.

Question 4

Procedure

Answer 4

• Conducted at Yale with the experimenter wearing a white lab coat and had a ‘stern demeanour’.
• Ps were told the aim was to find out the effects of punishment on learning.
• The electric shock generator consisted of 30 switches, clearly labelled with voltage 15-450 and verbal designations from ‘slight shock’ to ‘XXX’.
• There was a predetermined pattern of 3 wrong answers to every right answer.
• When the shock hit 300, the learner kicked the wall and made no more sounds.
• The experimenter used standardised prods, such as “it is absolutely essential that you continue”.

Question 5

Findings

Answer 5

1. The presence of an authority figure produces a strong tendency to obey, e.g. no participants broke off before the 300 volt level and 65% delivered the maximum shock.
2. The pressure to obey in a clearly immoral situation generates extraordinary tension and emotional strain, e.g. 35% of participants showed signs of extreme tension e.g. trembling, sweating and groaning.