MILGRAM

Question 1

What is the background of Milgram?

Answer 1

Adolf Eichmann organised the holocaust during ww2. In the past historians had assumed that Germans must have some sort of character defect. Milgram wanted to investigate whether Germans were particularly obedient to an authority figure.

Question 2

What is the aim of Milgram ?

Answer 2

To investigate how far an individual will go when asked to by an authority figure.

Question 3

What was the sample used in Milgram?

Answer 3

40 white males from new haven
Aged 20-50
Obtained through self selection newspaper ad
Paid $4.50 for participation

Question 4

Procedure of Milgram?

Answer 4

Participants were tested individually
They were given a sample shock of 45 volts to begin
Teacher asked learner to identify a correct answer out of 4 answers by pressing a switch
If answer was correct they moved on to the next question, if it was wrong the volunteer would receive a shock, increasing by 15 volt each time
Experiment ended when p reached 450 v or p withdrew.

Question 5

Quantitative results from Milgram study?

Answer 5

100% went up to 300 volts

65% went up to 450 volts (enough to kill someone) before the experiment, experts believed 1% would go up to 450volts

Question 6

Qualitative results from Milgram ?

Answer 6

Participants showed signs of accute stress , this included sweating, laughing and fits.

Question 7

Conclusions from Milgram study ?

Answer 7

Milgram argues that he,arms and innately obedient. It is part of our nature as social animals to obey authority figures.

Question 8

Explanation of Milgrams findings ?

Answer 8

Posh Uni
Prods to encourage p’s to keep going
P’s were paid
Told shocks were not harmful

Question 9

Which ethical guidelines did Milgram uphold ?

Answer 9

Debrief- participants were debriefed at the end and re introduced to the learner.

Consent- participants consented to take part and applied themselves

Withdrawal

Question 10

Which ethical guidelines did Milgram break?

Answer 10

Deception- p’s deceived about the true intentions of the study.
Harm- caused p’s emotional harm and distress. 3 participants experienced full blown uncontrollable seizures.

Question 11

What is the validity for milgrams study?

Answer 11

High levels of face validity, it appears to be measuring what it wants to measure.
Lacks ecological validity, not an everyday occurrence to be in a room giving people shocks.

Question 12

What is the reliability for milgrams study ?

Answer 12

Procedure was highly replicable as Milgram was able to replicate whole study with 40 participants. Made possible with a standardised procedure and a lab setting.
Large sample

Question 13

How does Milgram link to the social area?

Answer 13

Because it is revealing the extent to which people’s behaviour can be influenced by other people around them.

Question 14

What is the key theme and how does milgrams study link to the key theme ?

Answer 14

The key theme is the response to people in authority, milgrams study tells us that obedience to people in authority is common

Question 15

How does Milgram link to the individual/situational debate ?

Answer 15

The fact that 65% of people still went all the way up to 45 volts even though it was enough to kill someone showed the power of the situation to the behaviour.
However , 35% walked out which shows that people’s beliefs and personalities can be a greater influence on behaviour.

Question 16

How does Milgram link to usefulness debate ?

Answer 16

Suggests to people in positions of authority that people lower than them can be expected to be ode due to. However this can be abuse by people who use authority for malicious purposes.

Question 17

How does Milgram link to free will/determinism ?

Answer 17

65% that shocked up to 450 volts can be seen as having their behaviour determined for them by the situation they were in.
35% walked out shows how they had freewill and chose how to act.