OBEDIENCE: evaluation of milgrams original experiment Flashcards
Why is it a strength that milgrams study was in a lab ?
High control over extrenaous variables
Milgram was able to play the same video of the confederate “learner “ who was recieving shocks to every participant
Why is milgram useful to society ?
Shows how easily people can behave in uncharacteristic ways which shows the power of social forces
Provides support for the idea that obedience is not just due to personality but certain situations
helped ethical guidelines be put in place
What is the counter argument for milgram being unethical?
At the time of the experiment there were no ethical guidelines in place so technically he didnt break any ethical guidelines
How was milgrams study unethical?
*Right to withdraw :
When ps tried to withdraw from the study they were given prods from the experimentor to continue
*protection from harm :
3 ps had uncontrollable seizures
ps groaned ,bit their lips, digged nails into their skin, and showed extreme signs of stress and tenstion
*Deception:
decieved into thinking they were giving electric shocks
didnt know full aim of the study- told it was on punishment of learning
told there was a 50/50 chance to be learner or teacher
lacked fully Informed consent:
wasnt told full aim of the study
How can being paid for milgrams study be a positive ?
many real life situations reflect obedience where one party recieves money in exchange for services e.g in the workplace
What is a negative about being paid for the study ?
Ps may have only continued because they felt obliged to do so since theyre being paid
findings only represent obedience to a contract
What is the counterargument of milgram lacking ecological validity?
Hofling et al
conducted a field experiment in a real life hospital
*21/22 nurses obeyed a confederate doctor and gave a potentially lethal dose of medication to a patient
this shows how milgram has ecological validity
Replications of milgrams study showed high obedience levels
What did one and holland say about milgrams ecological validity ?
They say the situations in his experiment lacked resembalance to a real life situation where obedience is required
and that in a real life situation obedience levels wouldnt be that high.
findings cant be generalised to the real world.
What is the counterargument for milgram lacking experimental validity / demand characteristics ?
Participants showed signs of extreme stress and tension and 3 had uncontrollable seizures which cant be faked- this shows how they believed they were actually giving shocks
Post experimental questionnares :majority of ps believed they were giving real shocks
Why did they refuse to continue if they didnt believe it was real?
Why is milgrams study said to lack experimental validity and have demand characteristics ?
One and holland argue that milgrams study lacks experimental validity.
the ps were just going along with the act when they shocked the learner
( demand characeristics) they were just trying to please the experimentor
perry (2012) discovered that many of milgrams participants had been skeptical at the time whether the shocks were real
What are the strengths of milgram ?
hoflings field experiment supports that it has ecological validity
reflects real life situations - given money in return for a service
follow up interviews found no psychological damage - 84% were not sorry that they had taken part
ethical quidelines werent in place at the time of the study so he didnt actually break any
What are the weaknesses of milgram?
lacks ecological validity
unethical - protection from harm , deception , right to withdraw
sample was unrepresentative - only used white male americans
