Milgram

Question 0

Describe the sample

Answer 0

40 males
Aged between 20 and 50
From the New Haven area

Question 1

What is the Aim of the study?

Answer 1

To investigate what level of obedience would be shown when participants were told by an authority figure to administer electric shocks to another person.

Question 2

What sampling technique was used?

How was this achieved?

Answer 2

Self-Selected sampling was used in this study.

A newspaper and direct mail advertisement were used.

Question 3

What is the IV in the study?

Answer 3

IV: Degree of physical immediacy of an authority figure.

Question 4

What is the DV in the study?

Answer 4

The voltage that each participant shocked to.

Question 5

What controls were in the study?

Answer 5

All dialogue was scripted.
The learner responses were the same for every participant.
The experimentor wore the same lab coat each time.

Question 6

What were the quantitative results?

Answer 6

All participants obeyed up to 300v
14 defied the experimentor and 26 obeyed
There was a total figure of 65% obedience

Question 7

What were the qualitative results?

Answer 7

Participants showed signs of nervousness and tension such as nervous fits of laughter.
3 participants had seizures.

Question 8

What is the conclusion of the study?

Answer 8

Ordinary people are likely to follow orders given by an authority figure even to the extent of killing a person.

Question 9

Positive evaluation points:

Answer 9

+ High levels of control.

+ Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected.

Question 10

Negative evaluation points:

Answer 10

• Participants were paid $4.50 to take part, this may influence obedience levels. Unrepresentative.
• Ethical issues.
• Unrepresentative sample. All male.