Weaknesses

• -Lacks internal validity


  Orne and Holland claimed Milgram was not measuring real obediance. They thought PP were just going along with the study and didn't believe they were giving electric shocks. However, Milgram had video evidence of PP in distress.
• Lacks ecological validity


  Orne and Holland said lab setting show little resemblance to real life situations. Therefore, findings can't be generalised. However, the procedure has been replicated in other countries and found similar results to Milgram's study.
• Ethical issues


  Lack of informed consent: PP didn't give full consent as didn't know the full aim of the study but the true aim was explained at the end when the PP were getting a debrief of the study.

  Active deception: PP were told the study was about memory and learning. PP believed the electric shocks were real but Milgram could not have found these results without the deception so it is justifiable.
• Bias sample


  It was all males so doesn't represent whole population like women or children so difficult to generalise.