milgram variations Flashcards
Milligram variation
rundown office block
[experiment 10]
AIM
To see if the surrounding environment effects obedience
P:
Instead of taking place it’s the Prestigious Yale University they moved to an rundown office in Bridgeport the rooms were clean but there weren’t any furniture
and it was run by an independent research firm the research associates of Bridgeport
47.5% obeyed to 450v 19/40
Questioning of the environment prestigiousness may have led to the questioning of the authority of the experimenter which led to a reduce in obedience
Millgram variation
telephonic instructions
[experiment 7]
AIM
To see if obedience is still effective when the authority figure is not physically present giving the instructions (over a phone)
P:
The experiment to gave the initial instructions in the same room and then leaves the lab all further communication is done through a telephone
this was to test proximity
22.5% obeyed to 450v 9/40
Some teachers gave lower voltages than they were supposed to
Due to their not being a presence of the authority figure then there is less pressure to obey meaning that proximity of the experimenter to a participants affects obedience
Milligram variation
ordinary man
[experiment 13]
AIM
To see if a lack of authority figure affects obedience
P:
The experiment to give the instructions to the point about administering shocks but gets called away and leaves the room
When a confederate in the room who the participant thinks is another teacher whose task is to record times
Suggests that each time the learner makes a mistake they increase the shock by 15 volts
4/20% obeyed to 450v
Due to not being and perceived authority figure like the experimenter wearing a lab coat this reduces the legitimacy of the authority figure which means that they were less likely to obey
Millgram variation
defer responsibility
The teacher had an assistant who operated the shock generator and pressed the switch for them so the participant only had to give the command to shock the learner
92.5% went to 450v
This is due to the participant not physically shocking the learner so they feel less guilty about doing the task and therefore a more likely to obey the authority figure as the assistance takes the responsibility rather than them
Millgram variation
learner is present in the room
The learner is physically present in the room with the participants where they have to watch the learner being shocked and if the learner refused to touch the shock plate the participant had to force his hand down upon it
30% obeyed to 450V 12/40
This is due to them feeling full responsibility for their actions and therefore they feel more guilty results in a reduction in obedience as the shocking of the learner feels more personal
Millgram variation
increase the number of teachers
In one variation there were two confederate teachers the first of which drops out at 150v and the second drops out at 210 V it was then measured when the participant would drop out
10% continue to 450v 4/40
The reduction in obedience is due to then feeling the other people dropping out make them feel like that they could drop out as they have seen there is no negative consequences of doing so this also may be due to social desirability bias as they may think that they would look bad if they continued
The 4 that continued felt that they had a responsibility to finish the study for the experimenter
Millgram variation
conflicting experimenters
During this variation there were two experiment as present who would argue over what was the best thing to do next and would often give the participant contradictory instructions
For example at 110v one experiment to tells the participant to stop and the other experimenter urges them to continue
0% continued to 450v
The participant stops due to questioning the legitimacy of V2 experimenters as arguing over the correct direction of the study shows on the professionalism and therefore the participants will be less likely to be obedient and continue the study due to not believe in the study is being conducted legitimately
