Milgram Flashcards
Sample
40 male ppts between the ages of 20-50 years from New Haven, America. Occupation all but student.
Originally 500
Aim
To investigate what level of obedience would be shown when participants were told by an authority figure to administer electric shocks to another person.
Sample method
Self-selecting through and advertisement he placed in a newspaper.
Other people involved
2 confederates.
The experimenter (a biology teacher wearing a grey lab coat)
The learner (Mr Wallace a 47 year old accountant)
Both trained for the role
Method
Lab experiment with the use of observations.
Interviews in debrief.
Procedure
Arrive and are paid $4.50 as advertised.
Ppt told how they were taking part in a study looking at the affects of punishment on learning and memory.
Pick straws for teacher/learner roles however they’re rigged.
Mr Wallace was asked if he had any medical conditions - a heart problem.
The experimented explained punishments were given in the form of electric shocks.
All 3 went into a room.
The experimenter strapped Mr w into a chair and attached electrodes to his arms.
The experimenter said ‘although the shocks can be extremely painful they cause no permanent tissue damage’.
Teacher and experimenter go into an adjoins room.
Here as a desk with a shock generator in place marked with a scale from 15-450-XXX voltage + a verbal scale (slight shock to danger severe shock).
Each switch increases by 15 volts.
Teacher is instructed to deliver a shock for every mistake Mr W makes.
Mr w indicated answer by switching on a one of the 4 lights above the generator.
The shocks given go up each time.
The task was to match the right word pair e.g. green and house.
If the teacher asked to stop standardised prods were given by the experimenter.
No real shocks were given but a 45 volt shock to the ppt to ensure they believed the generator worked.
Mr w gave mainly wrong answers and received shocks to 300 volts without making a sound.
At 300 he cried out, kicked the wall joining the rooms and complained about his heart. He then fell silent.
Only after the 4th prod did the experiment terminate unless they went to 450 volts.
Standardised prods
Please continue.
The experiment requires you to continue.
It is absolutely essential that you continue.
You have no other choice, you must go on.
Special prod - whether the learner likes it or not you must go on until he had learned all the word pairs correctly so please go on.
Results
Signs of obedience
All 40 ppts went to 300 volts.
9/40 went up to 315 volts.
26/40 went to 450 volts.
Signs of acceptance of situation
Besides a few exceptions all believed the reality of the situation.
Signs of tension
Many subjects showed nervousness.
They sweat, trembles, stuttered, but their lips, groaned and dug their fingernails into flesh.
3 had ‘full blown uncontrollable seizures’
Conclusions
8 The location (Yale Uni) provided authority.
The ppts thought it had a worthy purpose.
Ppts believed the victim volunteered too.
The ppt felt obligated because they volunteered.
Being paid reinforced obligation.
They believed it had been a fair draw and were willing until 300 volts.
Have little/no experience of a similar situation so didn’t know how to behave.
The experimenter has more authority than the learner.
Evaluations/changes
Keep original 500 ppt Use women Across country and others Deception Protection from harm Carry out in their normal setting
