Milgrim Flashcards
background summary
WW2 Nazis just following orders, raised questions as to what extent people are obedient ‘the Germans are different’
Milgrim = obedience can be produced in anybody
Title
behavioural study of obedience
Aims/ hypothesis
Investigate the process of obedience, to demonstrate the power of legitimate authority even when the common requires destructive behaviour
Research method used + strengths & weaknesses
controlled observation
very controlled, experienced in the same way = high reliability
low ecological validity
Sample + strength & weakness
40men aged 20-50, New Haven, all paid £4.50, various backgrounds etc, self-selecting sample
representative sample
androcentric & ethnocentric sample
IV & DV
IV- none
DV - obedience ; what level of shock generate subjects dropped out on
controls used
Prods
1) please continue / please go on
2) the experiment requires that you continue
3) it’s absolutely essential that you continue
4) you have no other choice you must continue
Procedure
ps told study on how punishment effected learning, always got teacher
teacher gives learner a task if they get it wrong they get shocked & the shock level increases
teacher announces the shock increase as reminder
everyone 3erong answers 1 right
does not react until 300V pounds on wall & no longer reacts after 315V
Results / Findings
number who stopped intense shock (300v) -5
who stopped at extreme shock (360V) - 8
who stopped at danger severe shock (375V) - 1
continued to full (450V) - 26 (65% of subjects prepared to kill someone in learning experiment)
Explanation of results
assume experimenter knows what he’s doing
assume learner has given consent
obligation reinforced as he’s paid
torn between meeting demands of subject or experimenter
discomfort is temporary
subjects do not know how to behave as its a novel situation
conclusions
certain situations turn people into an agentic state, as we’re socialised to follow orders all through life
65% went all the way, however they showed signs of discomfort but continued anyway
peoples obedience depends on the situation & who is telling them what to do & the obligations involved
practical applications
teaches people to challenge authority
use obedience- good in certain areas of society
become aware some people can be easily lead but authority
understands precious behaviours WW2
ecological validity
LOW
artificial setting & task
high experimental realism as participants showed distress & reacted as if it was real
ethics
withdrawal- not given (prods)
deception- lied about experiment, couldn’t drop it + learner being in pain
protection- affected subjects mentally, extreme nervous tension
data collection
Quantitative- levels of shock
Qualitative- observations + interviews
