Milgram and variations (pack 1 Obedience) Flashcards
What is moral strain?
experiencing anxiety, usually because you are asked to do something that goes against your moral judgement
what does socialisation mean?
the process of learning norms through social agents- e.g - teachers and parents
what was the aim of Milgram’s study?
to see if volunteer participants would be similarly obedient to inhumane orders: how far would they go when giving electric shocks to who they think is just another participant
What are 5 points in the procedure for Milgram’s study?
- used advertisement to recruit a sample of 40 men in Connecticut, mixed age. Milgram paid them $4. the study was done in Yale university
- the lots were rigged and the naive subject was always the teacher
- The deceptive aim of the study was “to see the effect of punishment on learning and sample shock was 45v
- teacher went into the room and could only hear not see the confederate
- at 315v the confederate banged on door but was silent
what were two of the prods that the experimenter gave in Milgram’s study?
- please continue
- The experiment requires that you continue
What was Milgram’s pilot study and what were the results?
asked people from different backgrounds how 100 participants would behave
predicted most Americans would stop before 150v, only 4% carry onto 450v
quantitative results from Milgram’s (actual) study?
100% obeyed to 300v
14 stopped before 450v
65% obeyed to 450v
qualitative results from Milgram’s (actual) study?
showed visible signs of distress -laugh nervously, twitch
“I don’t think this is very humane” etc.
what were the conclusion from Milgram’s study?
that social influence is strong, people tend to obey orders even if it causes them distress.
what were 4 social features that lead to obedience?
- Yale university is prestigious so nothing unethical would happen
- The Victim was not unwilling and gave consent
- it was thought that the shocks were painful and wouldn’t kill them
- the participant was paid and felt they had an obligation
what was variation 7 of Milgram’s study?
telephonic instructions
why did Milgram choose to do variation 7 of the study?
believed that the proximity of the experimenter would change obedience rates
what were the results of variation 7?
22.5% (65% original)
what did Milgram find in variation 7?
some ppt lied and said they administered a higher voltage than they actually gave
one strength and one weakness of variation 7?
S- milgram’s results supported as when he varied proximity, obedience levels changed
W- not a natural situation- ppt placed into role of helper rather than acting independently
what was variation 10?
the setting of the research (rundown office block)
why did Milgram choose to do variation 10?
wondered if the original setting for original research influenced obedience levels (yale)
what did the setting look like in variation 10?
rundown office building, opposite some shops in Bridgeport. The room used as a lab was clean but sparsely furnished.
in variation 10, who did they believe was conducting the study compared to yale uni?
research associates of bridgeport
what were the results of variation 10 compared to the original study
47.5% gave max voltage
one strength and one weakness for variation 10?
S- use of an office block may suggest increased mundane realism
W- still lowin mundane realism due to the shock generator and controlled verbal prods
what was variation 13 of the study?
ordinary man gives order
why did milgram want to carry out variation 13 of the study?
wondered if authority and status influenced obedience
how did Milgram set up variation 13 of the study?
three people at lab, one ppt and two confeds
a rigged draw meant that the ppt would be the teacher
the first confed was a learner and the second was given the task of recording times from experimenters desk
experimenter received a rigged phone call and left room
DID NOT TELL THEM WHAT LEVEL OF SHOCK TO GIVE
the second confed told them to increase shock level
results of variation 13?
only a 20% obedience level
one strength and one weakness of variation 13?
S- ppt saw the confed draw lots, reinforces the idea of an ordinary man and increases the validty
W- still may have felt that the overall authority lay with Yale uni
what is the conclusion of all of Milgram’s studies?
level of obedience highest in original
setting had least affect (47.5%)
status had greatest (20%)
overall evaluation for Milgram
good controls and standardised procedures in first experiment made it possible to investigate variations
variation supported Milgrams original findings therefore increasing validity
