Obedience

Question 1

Define obedience

Answer 1

Type of social influence which causes a person to act in response to an order given by another person (usually someone with power or authority)

Question 2

When did Milgrams study into obedience take place

Answer 2

1963

Question 3

What is the research method for Milgram’s study?

Answer 3

Lab experiment, non participant controlled observation

Question 4

Describe procedure for Milgram’s study

Answer 4

• Ppts and a confederate took a rigged draw for their role - ppt would always be ‘teacher’ and confederate ‘learner’
• Another confederate in a white lab coat was the experimenter
• Learner was strapped to a chair wired with electrodes & teacher instructed to give the learner increasing shocks when they gave an incorrect answer
• Shocks were demonstrated to the teacher but afterwards not real
• The experimenter continually told the teacher to continue the experiment

Question 5

Who were the participants for Milgram’s study ?

Answer 5

40 male participants between 20-50 yrs old

Question 6

What were the findings and conclusion to Milgram’s study?

Answer 6

• No ppts stopped below 300 volts, 12.5% stopped at 300
• 65% continued to the highest level
• ppts showed signs of extreme tension, 3 even had seizures
• Concluded that people obey authority even when acting against own morality/judgement

Question 7

How was obedience affected by variations in Milgram’s study?

Answer 7

Proximity - when experimenter issued instructions by telephone obédience dropped to 21%
Location - When the the experiment took place in a rundown office rather than Yale, obedience dropped to 47.5%
Uniform - when experimenter was played by an ordinary member of the public, obedience dropped to 20%

Question 8

Give strengths of Milgram’s study into obedience

Answer 8

+ Support from other research —> Hofling et al (1966) gave nurses dangerous orders of unknown drugs above dosage; 21/22 obeyed
however it was found when a familiar drug was used only 2/18 obeyed

Question 9

Give limitations of Milgram’s study into obedience

Answer 9

– Lab study - low ecological validity due to artificial setting; doesn’t reflect obedience in daily life
— Gender bias - only investigated men & underestimated individual differences = beta bias; Sheridan & King found 100% of females compared to 54% males gave shocks to puppies in a similar experiment
however another study found little difference in men and women
— Unethical - no protection from psychological or physical harm as 3 had seizures, didn’t get full informed consent