Social Psychology L8 Flashcards
What is Hannah Arendt’s philosophy on the banality of evil?
That people perform acts of evil not necessarily because of any brutal motives, but instead out of a desire to do their job well and please their superiors
Frame it in a mindset where they are not thinking of the specific actions they are taking (talk very technically)
What was the aim of the Milgram experiment?
To see if ordinary people would hurt others if told to do so by an authority figure (sprung out of the aftermath of world war 2 and the trial of Eichmann)
How many participants were there in the Milgram experiment and how were they recruited?
40 through a newspaper advertisement.
What was the ostensible aim of the Milgram experiment?
To examine the effect of punishment on learning.
What comment did the exerimenter give to the participants about the electric shocks?
“Although the shocks may be painful they are not dangerous.”
This was in response to the learner saying he had a heart condition
What were the two roles in the Milgram experiment?
Teacher and student.
What did the student say to the teacher as he was strapped down in his chair?
“I have a minor heart condition, so the higher shocks could be dangerous for me.”
What were the learners responses to the electric shocks?
75 - grunts of pain
150 - “get me out, my heart is bothering me”
180 - “I can’t stand the pain!”
225 - agonized screams
315 - “Let me out! Let me out! Let me out!”
345 - silence
How many people administered the highest level shock?
65% of participants.
What are the theorized reasons for the results of the milgram experiment?
- Responsibility was transferred to the experimenter (a legitimate authority figure)
- Progressive nature of the shocks
- People identify with the experimenter, i.e. preserve the scientific integrity of the experiment
- Experimenter consistent in direction and leniency
What are the factors that influence obedience in the Milgram Experiment?
- remoteness of the victim
- closeness and legitimacy of the authority figure
- diffusion of responsibility
- characteristics of the teacher
When the teacher is asked to press the participants hand down on the shock plate, how many participants delivered the highest shock?
30%
If there are two experimenters and they disagree, obedience (in the milgram experiment) ….
drops to 0%
When participants are given a less central role in the shocking…
obedience increases to 93% (diffusion of responsibility)
When teachers were tested in groups and others in the group refuse to administer shocks, then …
obedience dropped to 10%
Does gender have an effect on the Milgram experiment?
Female teachers shock just as much as men (Perry 2011), but also are given far more coercion by the experiments (average of 4 prompts for men and 17 for women)
Can the findings of the Milgram experiment be replicated?
Yes, consistently.
Although due to ethics most replications are less intense
What is the general consensus on the Milgram experiment?
Teachers obey because they identify with the experimenter and the cause, not because they are following orders.
What personality characteristic makes it more likely for teachers to obey?
Authoritarians
What makes teachers less likely to obey?
If identify with the learner/ empathize with victim as opposed to the experimenter
What is the conclusion based on this experiment for Eichmann?
He was a true believer in the Nazi ideology and so was not just blindly following orders, if he didn’t truly believe he would not have followed the orders
What prod does not work in eliciting the teacher to shock the participants? What does this say about regimes like the Nazi’s?
- Teachers did not listen to direct orders like “you have no choice to obey”
- When you order people in this way you break trust and so they reject the leader
- This is why the Nazi’s were clever as leaders did not issue orders instead they made the followers believe they were doing the right thing for the cause
What happens when shocks would be given to close family members?
No one complies
What happens when the experimenter left the room and instead gave phone instructions?
Compliance drops to 20%
Do teachers keep going when the experimenter calls the study to stop but the learner says to keep going?
No goes to 0%
When teacher and learner are in the same room what does obedience drop to?
40%
