Milgram experiment (classic study) Flashcards
What was the aim of this study?
To observe working age American men’s obedience to authority, even in the case of harming someone
Background of this study
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
What type of study was this?
Controlled observation
Why was this study controlled observation?
Many aspects controlled
But there was no independent variable so no experiment
Just observed
Outcome was dependent on the conscience and behaviour of Ps
What was controlled in this study?
Same actors (both ‘scientist’ and ‘learner’)
Same authority figure and victim
Same location
Same word pair test
Who were participants in this study?
40 men
25-50 years old
📍New Haven
Range of occupations and education (businessmen, factory workers, barbers etc)
How were Participants recruited
Self selected sample:
Advertising in a newspaper under guise of a study conducted on learning
What happened when the participant walked in?
Was greeted by Mr Wallace, actor, believing they were another participant
What does the scientist explain to both mr Wallace and participant?
They pick a role where the P gets teacher, and mr Wallace just says learner (lying)
Explains rules for both learner and teacher
What are the rules for the teacher?
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
What was the faux electric box mechanism?
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
What are the rules for the learner ?
(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
What was the room like?
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
What happens at 300V?
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
What happens at 315V?
Banging again then no response, shock again as instructed by experimenter
What happens onward after 315V to 450V?
No answer form Wallace, yet shocks still happen
When does the test end?
Get to 450V on the machine
P refuses to continue
What does the experimenter (actor) do if the P wants to stop or asks if he should continue/ regrets?
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
What happened when the experiment ended?
Debriefing that revealed what the true experiment was to Ps who then met Mr Wallace to confirm he wasn’t harmed
What did Milgram’s psychology students predict the results would be?
Between 0-3% would get to 450V, a mean of 1.2%
What was the dependent variable ?
How many participants delivered a 450V shock to Mr Wallace
Quantitive findings of the experiment
100% delivered a 300V shock
65% delivered a 450V shock
3 had seizures
14 did nervous laughter
Qualitative findings
Signs of distress: sweating, trembling, stuttering, biting lips etc
Nervous laughter
How did Milgram explain these findings?
The participants felt obligated
Assured the shocks weren’t dangerous
Formality and prestige of study
Unclear on dangers of electricity
Why did the participants feel obligated to continue the experiment?
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
How did the formality affect the results of the study?
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
Conclusion of experiment
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
Why did Ps feel pressure and tension?
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
Strengths of sample and sample method
Was diverse in terms of class
Demographic represented SS so higher validity in comparing their responses
Participants volunteered themselves
Weaknesses of sample and sample method
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
Ethical problems with this experiment
Main principles of ethics broken: integrity, respect and responsibility
How did Milgram not show integrity?
Deception of the experiment meant participants weren’t aware of what was being studied
No informed consent
How did Milgram not show respect for participants?
Not gained their informed consent
Lack of clarity on their right to withdraw
How did Milgram not show responsibility for participants?
Did not protect them from harm because they suffered severe distress
What ethics did Milgram successfully follow?
Debriefing at the end = protected participants from going home distressed
Followed up on Ps a year later to check no long lasting psychological harm
Why did Milgram not operate within the ethical guidelines?
Because had he told the participants the aim of the study it would mean he wasn’t measuring their obedience, decreasing the internal validity
Evaluate internal validity of the study
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
Evaluate ecological validity of the study
Incredibly low because a lab setting in Yale and being told to shock someone is not realistic
Evaluate population validity of the study
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
Evaluate reliability of the study
Somewhat large enough sample to prove a consistent effect
Highly controlled so all ps experienced same thing
Repeatable
