Milgram experiment (classic study)

Question 1

What was the aim of this study?

Answer 1

To observe working age American men’s obedience to authority, even in the case of harming someone

Question 2

Background of this study

Answer 2

The Holocaust ending meant nazi leaders were put on trial
Some (inc Eichmann) played the defence that he was following orders and was just obedient, not evil
Historians suggested Germans had a defect causing them to obey blindly
Milgram tested this theory with Americans

Question 3

What type of study was this?

Answer 3

Controlled observation

Question 4

Why was this study controlled observation?

Answer 4

Many aspects controlled
But there was no independent variable so no experiment
Just observed
Outcome was dependent on the conscience and behaviour of Ps

Question 5

What was controlled in this study?

Answer 5

Same actors (both ‘scientist’ and ‘learner’)
Same authority figure and victim
Same location
Same word pair test

Question 6

Who were participants in this study?

Answer 6

40 men
25-50 years old
📍New Haven
Range of occupations and education (businessmen, factory workers, barbers etc)

Question 7

How were Participants recruited

Answer 7

Self selected sample:
Advertising in a newspaper under guise of a study conducted on learning

Question 8

What happened when the participant walked in?

Answer 8

Was greeted by Mr Wallace, actor, believing they were another participant

Question 9

What does the scientist explain to both mr Wallace and participant?

Answer 9

They pick a role where the P gets teacher, and mr Wallace just says learner (lying)
Explains rules for both learner and teacher

Question 10

What are the rules for the teacher?

Answer 10

They read out a list of word pairs for learner to memorise
Then afterward say only 1 of the words with options for what the second one is
If learner gets wrong they administer electric shock (fake one)
And increases it

Question 11

What was the faux electric box mechanism?

Answer 11

Switches from 15V to 450V
With labels on the type of shock throughout: intense shock, minor shock etc
Last one labelled xxx suggestive of fatal shock

Question 12

What are the rules for the learner ?

Answer 12

(What the experimenter told both Wallace and P)
That he remembers all word pairs then say the second word for the first word he reads out from options given
Indicate what he thinks from a box which light ups the number

Question 13

What was the room like?

Answer 13

One room was the teacher (P) with electric box
Other was Wallace strapped to chair in other room with electricity, pretending to be shocked
Neither could see each other

Question 14

What happens at 300V?

Answer 14

Wallace pretends to show distress by banging on the wall
Doesn’t answer question, making the illusion of serious accident = still incorrect so teacher must shock

Question 15

What happens at 315V?

Answer 15

Banging again then no response, shock again as instructed by experimenter

Question 16

What happens onward after 315V to 450V?

Answer 16

No answer form Wallace, yet shocks still happen

Question 17

When does the test end?

Answer 17

Get to 450V on the machine
P refuses to continue

Question 18

What does the experimenter (actor) do if the P wants to stop or asks if he should continue/ regrets?

Answer 18

Standardised prods to say (in every experiment):
Please continue
The experiment requires you to continue
It is absolutely essential that you continue
You have no other choice, you must go on

Question 19

What happened when the experiment ended?

Answer 19

Debriefing that revealed what the true experiment was to Ps who then met Mr Wallace to confirm he wasn’t harmed

Question 20

What did Milgram’s psychology students predict the results would be?

Answer 20

Between 0-3% would get to 450V, a mean of 1.2%

Question 21

What was the dependent variable ?

Answer 21

How many participants delivered a 450V shock to Mr Wallace

Question 22

Quantitive findings of the experiment

Answer 22

100% delivered a 300V shock
65% delivered a 450V shock
3 had seizures
14 did nervous laughter

Question 23

Qualitative findings

Answer 23

Signs of distress: sweating, trembling, stuttering, biting lips etc
Nervous laughter

Question 24

How did Milgram explain these findings?

Answer 24

The participants felt obligated
Assured the shocks weren’t dangerous
Formality and prestige of study
Unclear on dangers of electricity

Question 25

Why did the participants feel obligated to continue the experiment?

Answer 25

They were being paid
They thought Mr Wallace was in on it to so it was justified
Formality of a Yale study and lab coat on the experimenter
They volunteered themselves

Question 26

How did the formality affect the results of the study?

Answer 26

The prospect of doing a study in Yale assured the Ps it was a safe and valid experiment
Same w lab coat
Put more pressure on them due to the prestige of academics = must impress and comply

Question 27

Conclusion of experiment

Answer 27

Demonstrated the shared tendency among humans to obey authority figures which is not specific to any demographic
Having to meet 2 demands caused pressure for Ps

Question 28

Why did Ps feel pressure and tension?

Answer 28

Because they had to meet 2 demands: the pressure and prestige of the experimenters prods to continue the study
Mr Wallace’s distress to stop and not wanting to hurt someone
Both is impossible

Question 29

Strengths of sample and sample method

Answer 29

Was diverse in terms of class
Demographic represented SS so higher validity in comparing their responses
Participants volunteered themselves

Question 30

Weaknesses of sample and sample method

Answer 30

Not representative of society so conclusions should not be made on whole population = lacks external validity
Participants did not give informed consent on the actual study

Question 31

Ethical problems with this experiment

Answer 31

Main principles of ethics broken: integrity, respect and responsibility

Question 32

How did Milgram not show integrity?

Answer 32

Deception of the experiment meant participants weren’t aware of what was being studied
No informed consent

Question 33

How did Milgram not show respect for participants?

Answer 33

Not gained their informed consent
Lack of clarity on their right to withdraw

Question 34

How did Milgram not show responsibility for participants?

Answer 34

Did not protect them from harm because they suffered severe distress

Question 35

What ethics did Milgram successfully follow?

Answer 35

Debriefing at the end = protected participants from going home distressed
Followed up on Ps a year later to check no long lasting psychological harm

Question 36

Why did Milgram not operate within the ethical guidelines?

Answer 36

Because had he told the participants the aim of the study it would mean he wasn’t measuring their obedience, decreasing the internal validity

Question 37

Evaluate internal validity of the study

Answer 37

Internal validity fairly high because it was highly controlled including extraneous variables
Didn’t say aim of study so Participants didn’t express demand characteristics

Question 38

Evaluate ecological validity of the study

Answer 38

Incredibly low because a lab setting in Yale and being told to shock someone is not realistic

Question 39

Evaluate population validity of the study

Answer 39

Fairly high in terms of diversity of profession
Low in terms of age diversity and did not include women
Low in terms of diversity of regions

Question 40

Evaluate reliability of the study

Answer 40

Somewhat large enough sample to prove a consistent effect
Highly controlled so all ps experienced same thing
Repeatable