Milgram, Asch and Zimbardo Flashcards
Aim, Design, IV/DV, Sample of Milgram’s study?
Aim: To study the effects of obedience, particularly why the German population allowed Hitler and the persecution of minorities in Nazi Germany.
Design: Lab, Independent Groups
IV/DV: Voltage/Obedience
Sample: Recruited 40 males, aged between 20+50. Told study was for memory
Procedure for Milgram’s study?
When arrived, ppts took rigged draw to see what role they’d get but always get teacher, confed who was man who was middle aged would always be learner then leave room. Another confed was the ‘experimenter’, who told ppt they could leave any time, then gave instructions for experiment which was to give learner word questions and every time learner got it wrong shock was given and each time increased by 15V until 450V. When learner got to 300V they ‘pounded on wall’ then gave no response to next q but ‘pounded’ on wall again at 315V shock and then no further response at all, if teacher consulted experimenter gave various prods from ‘please continue/go on’ to ‘you have no other choice, please go on’.
Findings of Milgram’s study?
No ppts stopped below 300V, some stopped at that tho (only 12.5%), 65% continued to highest level of 450V.
Qualitative data was also collected from observations, w/some ppts having ‘extreme tension’ including sweating, nail /lip biting or digging nails into hands.
Psychologists estimated how many would go to 400V and they said only 3%. After experiment ppts were debriefed and told that their behaviour was natural and normal, also sent follow-up questionnaire and 84% said they were glad to participate.
What aspects of Milgram’s baseline study were modified?
Proximity, Location, Uniform
What do Milgram’s modifications aim to do?
How situational variables impact obedience and it’s likeability
What was the name and year of Zimbardo’s study?
His aim?
- Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE)
- 1973
- To investigate conformity to social roles. To investigate how readily people would conform to social roles in a simulated, yet reflective scenario
Why did SPE have to shut down?
Guards started to become verbally abusive and degrade the prisoners through physical labour being punishment and putting put rebels in the ‘hole’, a small cupboard. Guards seemed to enjoy the power given to them.
How does Zimbardo’s have high control? What is the impact?
- The participants were selected based based on emotional stability and were then randomly assigned these new roles. This meant that the impact personality differences had on the results would be minimised
- This increases the internal validity as it means the conclusions we can draw from Zimbardo’s findings as control over the variables were so strong.
Elaborate on the point that ‘Milgram suffers from ethical issues’.
P: Milgram’s work may be seriously unethical.
E: Ppts were deceived and through the perception that they have seriously harmed the confederates may cause trauma and therefore were not protected from harm.
Does Zimbardo have ethical issues?
Yes! Protection from harm as prisoners clearly suffered and shown by examples such as the fact it had to shut down early. Questionable whether the results were ‘worth it’?
Elaborate on the point that ‘Zimbardo’s research has practical application’
E: Can perhaps explain incidents of police brutality or Abu Ghraib and why these occurred.
I: Increases external validity.
