Milgram's Study

• Milgram (1963) - Procedure

  • 40 Male Participants from a Newspaper Ad about Memory Test, Financial Incentive
  • Ppts given Role of Teacher every time, introduced to learner before enting room
  • Learner strapped in chair with electrodes
  • Ppts were asked to give shocks every time a wrong answer, up to 450V
  • At 300V, learner tried to withdraw but ppts were asked to keep going
• Milgram (1963) - Findings

  Ppts were given a 3-strike system if they didn't want to continue

  • 300V = 100%
  • 450V = 65%
• Milgram (1963) - Variables

  • Proximity: Learner in the same room = 40%; hand shock = 30%
  • Location: Run down Office Block = 47.6%
  • Uniform: Normal clothes = 20%
• (+) A03: Hofling (1966)


  21/22 Real Nurses obeyed fake doctors phone call to administer double the maximum dosage
• (+) A03: Sheridan + King (1972)


  Real shocks to puppies, up to "450V"

  • Males = 54%
  • Females = 100%
• (-) A03: Ethical Concerns

  Milgram caused distress, lacking ecological validity and mundane realism, criticised with ppts knowing shocks weren't real