burger contemporary study

• Contemporary study - aim

  see whether Milgram's findings were era-bound
• Contemporary study - sample

  • 70 adults
  • 29 men and 41 women
  • aged 20 - 81
  • volunteer sample
• Contemporary study - procedure

  • two step screening process excluded volunteers who might have a negative reaction
  • used the same prods as milgram
  • participants were given 3 reminders in writing of the right to withdraw
  • shocks were stopped at 150V
  • a mild 15V shock given to participants
  • clinical psychologist observed the trial and ended the trial if anyone showed excessive stress - participants debriefed right after.
• Contemporary study - findings

  • obedience rate was only slightly lower than Milgram's
  • there was no significant difference in the obedience rates of men and women
  • no difference in the empathic concern scores between defiant and obedient
• Contemporary study - conclusions

  • no era bound
  • lack of empathy does not seems to be a valid explanation for high obedience rates
  • desire for personal control = determines likelihood of defiance
• Contemporary study - generalisability

  • sample is not representative of the target population
  • although the rigorous pre-study screening was ethical, 38% of volunteers were deselected
  • the people in the final sample may have been more psychologically robust than many in the general population
  • may have led to lower levels of obedience and reduces generalisability of the findings
• Contemporary study - reliability


  • used standardised procedures similar to Milgram
  • voice recording, scripted experimenter prods, same Confederates
  • so replicable so more reliable
• Contemporary study - validity 


  • none of burger's participants had knowledge of Milgram's research, enhancing the study's internal validity.
  • All participants were asked if they took any psychology classes - any who took more than two classes was excluded
  • suggests that demand characteristics were not a problem
• Contemporary study - application


  • Elms - claims Burger's research tells us little about real-world obedience and thus lacks application
  • the fact that participants were stopped before they suffered any tension about what they were doing meant the situation lost its potency.
  • seriously reduces the meaningfulness of the study in helping us to understand obedience in real-world situations today