Asch + Milgram evaluation

• What is an ethical issue regarding Zimbardo's study?

  • P’s did not have fully formed consent
  • It was not known they would be randomly arrested, stripped or deloused.
  • Debriefing sessions held to deal with reactions to their experience
  • They also signed an agreement to act as volunteers at Stanford university
• What is the second ethical issue regarding Zimbardo's study? 


  • P’s should be protected from psychological harm
  • P’s were humiliated and dehumanised by the procedure.
  • Prisoners were sleep deprived and on hunger strikes while guards felt guilty for their actions.
  • Zimbardo held several debriefing sessions to deal with the reactions.
  • During 2 years after the experiment had ended, contact was maintained with p’s to prevent any negative effects.
  • Zimbardo did not know what would happen in the study but could’ve stopped it earlier
• What is the third ethical issue of Zimbardo's study?

  • P’s did not have the right to withdraw.
  • Zimbardo asked the prisoner who was leaving to be a snitch for protection.
  • The participant thought he could not leave and told the others.
  • P’s were informed of their right to leave.
  • Zimbardo said he wanted him to think about it
  • P’s did withdraw from the study showing that they did have the right 
• What is one ethical evaluation of Milgram?

  • A ton of deception and there were 3 main counts of deception
  • The confederates (learner) being real
  • The electric shocks
  • The experiment was about the role of punishment in learning.
  • Milgram said that the study was not possible without deception and it revealed interesting results
  • The p’s were debriefed and only 1.3% of them reported being negative about it 
• What is another ethical evaluation of Milgram?

  • P’s should be protected from psychological harm.
  • P’s showed visible signs of stress like sweating and trembling.
  • There was a worry that there may be a long term effect of guilt in knowing they had the capability to harm another human being.
  • Milgram debriefed them, telling them that it was normal behaviour as well as examining them
  • A year later with 0 psychological damage was found.
  • Stress was not expected
  • Surveys showed that disobedience was more expected than anything else 
• What is one final ethical evaluation of Milgram?

  • P’s should be allowed to withdraw
  • P’s who attempted to withdraw felt like they had no choice as they were given the verbal prods by the experimenter.
  • Milgram said that due to the nature of study investigating obedience, it was necessary for investigating authority.
  • There was no physical harm. Only 65% made it so they could withdraw if they felt like it