Milgram's obedience study

• What was the aim?

  To find out whether ordinary Americans would obey unjust orders from a person in authority, to inflict pain on another person.
• Who was the sample?

  Milgram advertised for male volunteers by placing an advert in a local newspaper which offered $4.50 for taking part in a study of punishment of learning.

  there were 40 volunteers from a range of occupations and backgrounds.
• where was the study?

  Yale University.
• What was the procedure?

  the participants met a confederate experimenter named Mr Wallace who told them that one person would be the student and the other the teacher.
• Who was the teacher and who was the learner?

  The teacher was always the participants and the learner was always a confederate.
• what happened in the study?

  The teacher was asked to question the learner with pre planned questions. when the learner got it wrong the teacher would have to increase the voltage shock.
• what happened as the shocks became higher?

  the learners screams became louder and the teacher started to become uncomfortable.
• How long would the experiment continue for?


  Until the teacher refused to continue or until 450 volts was reached.
• What were the results of the experiment?


  All participants went to 300 volts and 65% of the participants went to the full 450 volts.
• What were the conclusions?

  Under certain circumstances, most people will obey orders even if those orders involve inflicting pain on another human being.