Milgram's Original Obedience Study (1963)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To distinguish whether the obedience of the Germans is different to that of Americans.

Question 2

What was Milgram’s study prompted by?

Answer 2

The willingness of murder during the Holocaust

Question 3

Procedure

Answer 3

1. Teacher met learner and roles were distinguished
2. Teacher and learner taken into shock room
3. Learner strapped in and told he must remember word pairs
4. Teacher taken into other room and given instructions
5. Experiment begins; teacher starts to read word pairs
6. Teacher administers electric shocks for every incorrect answer, increasing the voltage by 15V every time
7. Yelling is heard from the learner
8. Verbal prods from the researcher occur if and when the participant is hesitant to continue

Question 4

Research method

Answer 4

controlled observation

Question 5

Participants

Answer 5

>40 males
>aged 20-50
>paid $4.20
>volunteers (self-selected sample)
>various educational backgrounds and >occupations

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

Ordinary people are likely to follow orders given by a perceived authority figure.