Social Learning : Milgram’s Research

Question 1

Define obedience

Answer 1

Obedience is a form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order, usually given by someone who has authority and has the power to punish anyone who fails to follow the order.

Question 2

What was Milgram’s baseline procedure to assess levels of obedience?

Answer 2

• 40 American male volunteers were taking part in what they believed to be a memory study
• Volunteers were introduced to another P. ( a confederate ) and the experiment was set he so that the volunteer was always assigned to the role of the Teacher and the confederate was always the Learner
• also an Experimenter present
• Experiment was set up so that the T could not see the L but could hear them
• E ordered T to give L an electric shock every time L made a mistake on the memory task
• Shocks increased in voltage up to 450V with every mistake
• Shocks were fake but made to seem real and harmful to the L

Question 3

What were the findings of Milgram’s baseline study?

Answer 3

• Every P. delivered all the shots up to 300V
• 5 stopped, however 65% continued to the highest voltage
• Milgram also observed the P.s giving the shocks : they showed signs of extreme tension - sweating, trembling, stuttering, questioning the E)

Question 4

What is a strength of Milgram’s research around obedience?

Answer 4

✅ Milgram’s research is supported by other studies
- eg Milgram’s findings were replicated in a French documentary made about reality TV in which the P.s believed they were contestants for a new game show
- they were ordered by the presenters (and paid) to give them electric shocks to other P.s (confederates)
- 80% delivered the maximum shot of 460V
- behaviours observed were almost identical to those in Milgram’s P.s (sweating, trembling etc)
- This means that Milgram’s baseline findings are reliable and not just due to special circumstances, increasing the internal validity of his study

Question 5

What are the limitations of Milgram’s research?

Answer 5

❌ Milgram’s procedure lacks internal validity
- Orne and Holland argued that P.s didn’t truly believe the shocks were real and were simply play acting
- Perry listened to tapes of the P.s and found that only 1/2 the P.s actually thought the shocks were real and most of these P.s disobeyed
- This means that P.s could have been acting in demand characteristics, trying to fulfil the aims of the study.
COUNTERPOINT : Howver Sheridan and King conducted a procedure similar to Milgram’s, in which P.s were instructed to give real shocks to a puppy. The majority of P.s continued to give the shocks despite the genuine distress of the puppy
- this means that the findings of Milgram’s study were genuine because people still behaved obediently even when they knew the shocks were real.

❌ They are alternative interpretations of Milgram’s findings
- Haslam showed the Milgram’s P.s only obeyed when, according to the social identity theory, they identified with the scientific aims of the study
- p.s were more likely to follow the prods from the E when they were told ‘the experiment requires you to continue’ instead of ‘you must continue’
- This means that social identity theory may give a more valid interpretation of Milgram’s findings, as opposed to obedience.