Milgram's Study of Obedience Flashcards
Obedience is…
… obeying direct orders from someone in authority.
Conforming is…
… obeying orders unwillingly.
Compliance is…
… willingly obeying an order but not necessarily agreeing with it.
Internalising is…
… obeying whilst agreeing to do so.
What was the aim of Milgram’s study?
To see if the Nazis were ‘different’ from other people, and to see whether or not ‘ordinary people’ would do likewise.
Participants thought that the study was about…
… the effect of punishment on learning.
What were the participants told about the shocks?
That they were painful but wouldn’t permanently damage tissue.
When did the learner begin reacting to the shocks?
At 300 volts.
How many participants were in the basic study?
40
How many participants gave shocks until the end?
26
All participants obeyed up to?
300 volts
How did participants react during the experiment?
- nervousness & nervous laughter
- sweating
- trembling
- digging nails into flesh
What were the 2 main conclusions of the study?
- social influence is strong
- people obey orders even if it causes them distress
How did setting affect the results of Milgram’s basic study?
- Yale University is a prestigious institute
- wouldn’t allow anything unethical
How did the aim of the study affect the results of Milgram’s basic study?
It had a worthy cause.
How did the participants, as volunteers, affect the results of Milgram’s basic study?
Because they volunteered, they had made a commitment.
How did the participants being paid affect the results of Milgram’s basic study?
They felt an obligation due to being paid.
How was the procedure of Milgram’s study well-controlled?
- set verbal prompts in a set order
- victim’s responses carefully prepared
- experiments of participants the same, so no bias
How is lack of bias a strength?
Lack of bias meant that the conclusions were firm, so cause & effect conclusions could be drawn.
How did a well-controlled procedure strengthen the study?
Study was replicable so it could be tested for reliability.
How was Milgram’s study unethical?
It caused distress & discomfort for participants.
Ethical issues made Milgram’s study…
… hard to replicate.
Verbal prompts pressurised the participants not to leave, which is against…
… the ethical principle of respect.
What gave the study a lack of ecological validity?
It was at a university, so the setting wasn’t realistic/ natural.