obedience: milgrams research ao1

Question 1

Define obedience

Answer 1

Form of social influence in which an Individual follows a direct order. Person giving instructions is usually a figure of authority who has the power to punish.

Question 2

Milgrams baseline sample

Answer 2

40 American males volunteered to take part in study.
Supposedly to take part in a memory test.

Question 3

Baseline procedure

Answer 3

Upon arrival at Yale uni
They met expirimenter and another ppt (both confederates)
Ther drew to see who would
Be teacher and learner but it was rigged so ppt would always be teacher.
Ppt (teacher) Told to test learner on ability to remember words.
Each time they got an answer wrong the teacher was instructed to give electric chair.
15-450 v

Question 4

Baseline procedure - what’s important about 300v

Answer 4

At 300v (intense shock)
The learner would bang on the wall and complain
After 315v shock was administered there were no further responses heard from the learner.

Question 5

Baseline procedure - teacher attempting to stop the expiriment

Answer 5

The expirimenter would respond with a series of verbal prods
“The expirment requires that you should continue”
Coercing the teacher to carry on

Question 6

Baseline findings

Answer 6

100% of ppt delivered shocks up to 300v
12.5% stopped at 300v
65% continued to max 450 v
Milgram also collected qualitative data and observed signs of extreme tension (sweating nail biting, 3 ppt even had seizures)

Question 7

Baseline conclusions

Answer 7

Milgram conculded German people aren’t different
The American ppt in his study were willing to obey orders even if it meant causing harm.
Thus
Ordinary ppl are very obedient to authority even when asked to behave in an inhumane manners it’s not evil ppl who commit atrocities but ordinary people obeying authority