Social Psychology L8

Question 1

What is Hannah Arendt’s philosophy on the banality of evil?

Answer 1

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)

Question 2

What was the aim of the Milgram experiment?

Answer 2

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)

Question 3

How many participants were there in the Milgram experiment and how were they recruited?

Answer 3

40 through a newspaper advertisement.

Question 4

What was the ostensible aim of the Milgram experiment?

Answer 4

To examine the effect of punishment on learning.

Question 5

What comment did the exerimenter give to the participants about the electric shocks?

Answer 5

“Although the shocks may be painful they are not dangerous.”

This was in response to the learner saying he had a heart condition

Question 6

What were the two roles in the Milgram experiment?

Answer 6

Teacher and student.

Question 7

What did the student say to the teacher as he was strapped down in his chair?

Answer 7

“I have a minor heart condition, so the higher shocks could be dangerous for me.”

Question 8

What were the learners responses to the electric shocks?

Answer 8

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

Question 9

How many people administered the highest level shock?

Answer 9

65% of participants.

Question 10

What are the theorized reasons for the results of the milgram experiment?

Answer 10

1. Responsibility was transferred to the experimenter (a legitimate authority figure)
2. Progressive nature of the shocks
3. People identify with the experimenter, i.e. preserve the scientific integrity of the experiment
4. Experimenter consistent in direction and leniency

Question 11

What are the factors that influence obedience in the Milgram Experiment?

Answer 11

1. remoteness of the victim
2. closeness and legitimacy of the authority figure
3. diffusion of responsibility
4. characteristics of the teacher

Question 12

When the teacher is asked to press the participants hand down on the shock plate, how many participants delivered the highest shock?

Answer 12

30%

Question 13

If there are two experimenters and they disagree, obedience (in the milgram experiment) ….

Answer 13

drops to 0%

Question 14

When participants are given a less central role in the shocking…

Answer 14

obedience increases to 93% (diffusion of responsibility)

Question 15

When teachers were tested in groups and others in the group refuse to administer shocks, then …

Answer 15

obedience dropped to 10%

Question 16

Does gender have an effect on the Milgram experiment?

Answer 16

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)

Question 17

Can the findings of the Milgram experiment be replicated?

Answer 17

Yes, consistently.

Although due to ethics most replications are less intense

Question 18

What is the general consensus on the Milgram experiment?

Answer 18

Teachers obey because they identify with the experimenter and the cause, not because they are following orders.

Question 19

What personality characteristic makes it more likely for teachers to obey?

Answer 19

Authoritarians

Question 20

What makes teachers less likely to obey?

Answer 20

If identify with the learner/ empathize with victim as opposed to the experimenter

Question 21

What is the conclusion based on this experiment for Eichmann?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What prod does not work in eliciting the teacher to shock the participants? What does this say about regimes like the Nazi’s?

Answer 22

• 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

Question 23

What happens when shocks would be given to close family members?

Answer 23

No one complies

Question 24

What happens when the experimenter left the room and instead gave phone instructions?

Answer 24

Compliance drops to 20%

Question 25

Do teachers keep going when the experimenter calls the study to stop but the learner says to keep going?

Answer 25

No goes to 0%

Question 26

When teacher and learner are in the same room what does obedience drop to?

Answer 26

40%