Milgram

Question 1

What was the aim of Milgram?

Answer 1

To find out if people were naturally obedient

Question 2

What was the method of the Milgram experiment?

Answer 2

Controlled observation

Question 3

What was the procedure for the learning task?

Answer 3

• Word pairs were presented to learner by the teacher.
• First word was said by the teacher along with four terms.
• Learner has to indicate which term was correct

Question 4

What instructions were given to the ppt’s (teacher)?

Answer 4

The teacher was instructed to administer a shock to the learner each time they got the word out wrong. They must announce the voltage before flicking the switch.

Question 5

What was the prediction of obedience for this experiment?

Answer 5

That 0.2% would go ahead to 450 volts (maximum)

Question 6

How many people went all the way to 450 volts?

Answer 6

26 people

Question 7

What was the sample of the experiment?

Answer 7

• There were 40 males between the ages of 20 and 50
• From New Haven and the surrounding communities
• Obtained through a newspaper (volunteers)

Question 8

How was the experiment ethical?

Answer 8

• All ppt’s were debriefed after the experiment and told that their behaviour was normal
• They were then told the true nature of the exp.
• One year later, ppt’s were followed up to ensure that there were no long term psychological problems

Question 9

At what voltage did 100% of the ppt’s go up to?

Answer 9

300 volts

Question 10

What conclusion can you draw from this experiment?

Answer 10

When we are obedient to authority figures and do not take responsibility for our own personal behaviours we can behave in terrible ways towards each other

Question 11

What were the prods given by the researcher?

Answer 11

• please continue or please go on
• the experiment requires that you continue
• it is absolutely essential that you continue
• you have no other choice, you must go on

Question 12

What were some reasons for high levels of obedience ?

Answer 12

The authority figure was in the same room as the subject

The learner was in another room

The experiment was done in a prestigious institution (Yale)

Commands were given by an authority figure rather than another volunteer

Question 13

Give some reasons for high levels of tension in this experiment

Answer 13

The entrapment process- where people obey easy commands first and then feel compelled to obey more and more difficult commands

It was difficult to choose between abstract scientific knowledge and relief from physical suffering

Experimenter gave little time for reflection

Question 14

Practice Questions

Describe why ppt’s may have felt that they could not withdraw from this study [2 marks]

Answer 14

1) Commands were given by an authority figure rather than another volunteer.
2) The authority figure was present in the room with the ppt and may feel obligated to meet the demands of the experimenter.

Question 15

Practice Questions

Describe the ‘shock generator’ apparatus used in the study [2 marks]

Answer 15

1) Produced a shock starting from 15V all the way up to 450V
2) Teachers were given a sample shock of 45V
3) Teachers were instructed to administer a shock each time the learner got the word pair wrong
4) They were to announce the voltage before flicking the switch

Question 16

Practice question

Outline how the ‘shock generator’ apparatus was used to measure obedience. [2 marks]

Answer 16

1) The higher the level of volts generated by the teacher, the more obedient the ppt was to the experimenter
- Why did this happen [for the next mark]
2) This was because of the prods given ‘The experiment requires that you continue’

Question 17

Practice questions

Outline two quantitative findings from this study [2 marks]

Answer 17

1) all ppt’s went up to 300 volts

2) 26 people went up to 450 volts

Question 18

Practice question

What behaviour of the subjects indicated extreme tension? [1 mark]

Answer 18

1) Ppt’s experiences uncontrollable seizures and high indicates extreme tension

Question 19

Practice question

Outline the conflicts of this study [2 marks]

Answer 19

1) Ppt’s wanted to do what was morally right

2) But also felt obligated to meet the demands of the authority figure

Question 20

How was this study ethical?

Answer 20

1) Ppt’s could clearly withdraw from the experiment at their own will.
2) they we also debriefed before they left the laboratory about the aims of the experiment.
3) Also, no information was released about any ppt’s.

Question 21

What made this study unethical?

Answer 21

1) Although the ppt’s gave consent, they did not give informed consent as they were deceived about the true purpose of the study.
2) It is arguable that ppt’s were harmed by their involvement in this study (3 people experienced seizures, 14 showed nervous laughter)

Question 22

What research method was used?

Answer 22

Milgram’s study can be described as an experiment as it had a dependent variable (that being obedient or disobedient) and controls (that being the same shock generator)

Question 23

Why might this study not be classed as an experiment?

Answer 23

It did not have an independent variable because he carried out series of variations on his original study but did not include it within the main study which meant that there was no independent variable

Question 24

What did the quantitative data comprise of?

Answer 24

The percentages of ppt’s who we prepared to administer electric shocks to the ‘learner’ up to 300 volts (100 per cent) and all the way up to 450 volts (65 per cent)

Question 25

How was the quantitative data valuable?

Answer 25

The percentage of ppt’s prepared to administer electric shocks to the ‘learner’ all the way up to 450 volts maximum) could be compared from one variation of his study in one country to another replication of it in another country

Question 26

What did the qualitative data consist of?

Answer 26

Descriptions of how those in the role of ‘teacher’ behaved as they progressed up the electric shock generator (e.g. sweating and trembling) and also the quotes of what they said as they did this.

Question 27

How was the qualitative data useful?

Answer 27

Provided feelings about the ppts as they administered the electric shocks and also revealed that although they did as they were told, they did so without pleasure and in the context of great emotional discomfort