Milgram’s Shock Study Flashcards
What was the aim of this experiment?
Milgram aimed to test the hypothesis ‘Germans are different’ which as based on the atrocities committed in WW2
Investigated how situational context could lead to ordinary people inflicting harm on others
What was the sample for Milgrams study and how were they recruited?
40 male participants recruited through a newspaper ad for a ‘study about memory’ (Volunteer sampling)
Explain the procedure of the experiment.
- Lab setting at Yale University
- Each participant was told they’d be randomly allocated the role of teacher or learner; this was actually rigged, the participant would always get teacher and the confederate would always be the learner
- The teacher was told by an experimenter in a white lab coat to shock the learner every time he got an answer wrong (15V -> 450V)
- The learner was strapped into an ‘electric chair’ in the other room
- The learner protested until 180V, complained about heart troubles at 300V and stop responding at 315V
- The experimenter would give commands (Please continue, the experiment requires that you continue, it’s absolutely essential that you continue, you have no other choice; you must go on)
- If all prompts were refused the experiment would end
- The shocks were not real, unbeknownst to the participant
What were the findings of this experiment?
- No participants stopped below 300V
- 12% of participants stopped at 300V
- 65% of participants continued to the max 450V, which would’ve been deadly
- All participants showed extreme signs of tension and anxiety
What were the originally predicted findings of Milgrams study?
14 psychology students were asked prior to predict the results
They predicted that 3% of participants would continue to the max 450V
What did Milgram conclude from this experiment?
He concluded people obey either out of fear or out of a desire to appear cooperative: even when acting against their own better judgment and desires
What are the strengths of this experiment?
- Research support (Beauvois et al. 2012)
- High internal validity
- High external validity (Hofling et al. 1966)
What are the weaknesses of Milgrams experiment?
- May have suffered from demand characteristics (Orne and Holland, 1968) (Gina Perry, 2013)
- Participants were deceived
What were the 3 proximity variations?
Teacher and learner in the same room: 40% obedience
Teacher forces learners hand onto plate: 30% obedience
Experimenter gave orders by phone: 20.5% obedience
Explain why the proximity variation decreased obedience.
Decreased proximity allows people to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions. When the teacher and learner were physically separated, the teacher was less aware of the harm they were causing to another person so they were more obedient.
What was the location variation?
The location of the study was moved from Yale University to a rundown office: 47.5% obedience
Explain why the location variation decreased obedience.
The prestigious university environment gave Milgram’s study legitimacy and authority. participants were more obedient in the Yale location because they perceived that the experimenter shared the legitimacy, and that obedience was expected. However, obedience was still quite high in the office block, because the participants perceived the scientific nature of the procedure.
What was the uniform variation?
The experimenter with the white lab coat was replaced by a member of the public: 20% obedience
Explain why the uniform variation decreased obedience.
Uniform encouraged obedience because it is a widely recognised symbol of authority. We accept that some in uniform are entitled to expect obedience because their authority is legitimate. Someone without a uniform has less right to expect our obedience.
