Milgram (1961)

• What was Milgram's aim?

  To investigate the levels of obedience when the participants were told by an authoritive figure to administer electric shocks
• What was Milgram's procedure?

  >40 males (20-50 yrs), represent Nazi soldiers

  >volunteer sampling, recruited by newspaper article

  >paid $4.50

  >Yale University

  >method -> drew from a rigged har (participant = teacher)

  > learner was strapped to chair in front of participant

  > participant heard experimenter tell learner: "although extremely painful, no tissue damage"

  >phoney shock generator (15v to 450v)

  >experimenter persuaded them to carry on
• What were Milgram's results?

  > 100% at least 300v

  > 65% up to 450v

  > participants showed signs of stress and tension -> 14/40 nervous laugh, 3 participants had a seizure
• What was Milgram's conclusion?

  >most important factor in obedience is the situation

  >prestigious and worthy location

  >believed victim has volunteered

  >paid- under obligation
• What are the pros of Milgram's study?

  >volunteer sample

  >reliable

  >benefits society

  >high internal validity
• What are the cons of Milgram's study?

  >not generalisable

  >low ecological validity

  >ethics