Milgram Study Flashcards
1
Q
Aim of the study
A
- to investigate what level of obedience would be shown when PPs were told by an authority figure to administer electric shocks to another person
2
Q
Research method
A
- controlled observation
- study only has a DV (dependent variable)
- NOT A LAB EXPERIMENT
3
Q
Subjects (mention 7 points)
A
- 40 participants
- males
- ages 20 to 50
- obtained by newspaper advertisement + direct mail solicitation (VOLUNTEER SAMPLING)
- paid: $4.50
- range of PPs: high school teachers, engineers, salesmen, laborers, etc
- education level: haven’t finished elementary school —-> doctorates/professional degrees
4
Q
Procedure
A
- done at Yale University
- experiment took place in lab setting designed to look like a learning/memory test environment
- when PP arrived, roles were assigned as ‘teacher’ or ‘learner’
-learner was strapped to chair in adjacent room with electrodes attached and received shocks - teacher was shown a shock generator with switches from 15-450V
5
Q
Sample shock (mention 4 points)
A
- 45 volts
- applied to wrist
- pressing 3rd switch
- source was 45-volt battery
6
Q
Dependent variables (DV)
A
- max shock level applied to learner by PP (0 to 30 – 15V to 450V)
- defiant & obedient participant
- occasional photos taken through one-way mirror
- notes kept on unusual behavior
7
Q
Controls (mention 10 points)
A
- standardized procedure
- learning task
- response schedule
- volt increments
- setting
- prods
- preliminary run
- sample shock
- instructions
- experimenter
8
Q
Preliminary notions
A
- 14 Yale students asked to predict how many PPs would go up to 450V
- considerable agreement between students
- estimated range = 0-3%
- class mean = 1.2%
- colleagues of Milgram felt very few would go beyond “Very Strong Shock”
9
Q
Learning task
A
- paired-associate learning task
- subject read series of word pairs to learner
- read first 1st word pair along with 4 terms
10
Q
Shock generator.
A
- 30 lever switches
- 15V to 450V
- 15-volt increment going left to right on switch
- switch increments:
1. slight shock
2. moderate shock
3. strong shock
4. very strong shock
5. intense shock
6. extreme intensity shock
7. danger: severe shock
11
Q
Shock instructions
A
- subject told to administer shock to learner each time wrong response is given
- instructed to move one level higher every time wrong response is given
- instructed to announce voltage level before administering shock
12
Q
De-hoax/debriefing
A
- PPs were interviewed
- open-ended questions asked
- projective measures taken
- attitude scales given to score
- friendly reconciliation between learner + teacher
13
Q
Results (quanti)
A
- subjects were convinced of the reality of experimental situation
- potent shocks were very painful
- mode response = 14
- mean = 13.42
- 14 of 40 showed signs of nervous laughter and smiling
- 3 subjects - uncontrollable seizures
14
Q
Results (quali)
A
- post-experimental interview: “How painful to the learner were the last few shocks that you administered to him?”
- 14-point scale from “not at all painful” to “extremely painful”.
- subjects reaction = sweat, tremble, stutter, biting lip, groaning, etc
- violent seizure caused experiment to stop
- 46 yr old encyclopedia was embarrassed
- subjects said they weren’t sadistic and laughing didn’t mean they enjoyed shocking PPs
15
Q
Reliability
A
- scripts
- standardized procedure
- controls: prods, sample shock, grey coat, voltage increments, setting
