What was the baseline procedure of Milgram’s research?
40 American men volunteered to participate in a memory study. The participants were deceived into believing they were assigned the role of "Teacher," while another participant (a confederate) played the role of the "Learner." The study focused on assessing obedience by instructing the Teacher to administer progressively stronger shocks, up to 450 volts, to the fake Learner in a different room, under the authority of an experimenter. The shocks were not real, and the true purpose was to examine obedience in response to authority figures.
What were the base findings of Milgram’s research?
Every participant delivered all shocks up to 300V. 12.5% (five participants) stopped at 300V (‘intense shock’) and 65% continued to the highest level of 450V, i.e. they were fully obedient.
Milgram also collected qualitative data such as: participants showing signs of extreme tension; biting nails, trembling and 3 even had a seizure.
Other data
Milgram asked 14 psychology students to predict the participants' behaviour
The students estimated that no more than 3% of the participants would continue to 450V
A follow-up questionnaire was later sent out and 84% said they were glad to have participated
Conclusions
Milgram concluded that German people are 'no different'
He suspected there were certain factors in the situation that encouraged obedience
