Milgram

• What was the aim in Milgram's study into obedience?

  To investigate the willingness of participants to obey authority figures.

  Milgram sought answers to why such a high proportion of the German population obeyed Hitlers orders.
• Milgram's Procedure:

  40 American males (aged between 20-50) volunteered to take part in a study at Yale university, supposedly for a memory test.
• Milgram's Procedure:

  They're introduced to another participant (who was actually a confederate called Mr Wallace) who would always draw the straw to become the 'leaner'. The actual participant always drew to become the 'teacher'. The teacher could not see the leaner, but could hear them.
• Milgram's Procedure:

  The teacher had to shock the learner every time they provided an incorrect answer, increasing the voltage by 15V up to 450V each time. This was fake, but the teacher thought they actually shocked the learner. The teacher would hear variations of screams and pleas as the voltage became higher. The man in the white coat would insist the teacher continued even when the participants said that they did not want to continue
• Milgram's Findings:

  Milgram found that every participant went up to 300 volts. 12.5% (5 participants) of participants stopped at 300 volts. 65% of participants went up to the full amount which was 450 volts.

  Participants showed signs of extreme tension: sweating, trembling, stuttering, biting their lips, groaning, and digging their fingernails into their hands. Three even had 'full blown uncontrollable seizures'.
• Milgram's Conclusion:

  Their findings suggest that individuals are obedient to an authority figure (in this case the man in the white coat), even when these orders might harm other people. German people are no 'different' to the American participants who took part.
• Variations of Milgram's study.

  Experiment took place in a run down office/building:

  • The variable is location.
  • 47.5% of participants went up 450 volts.
  • Obedience levels decreased.
  • This is due to prestigious reputation.
• Variations of Milgram's study.

  Teacher and learner are in the same room:

  • The variable is proximity
  • 40% of participants went up to 450V
  • Obedience levels decreased
  • This is due to the teacher being able to see the harm being inflicted.
• Variations of Milgram's study.

  Forced learners hand on plate:

  The variable is proximity

  30% of participants went up to 450V

  Obedience levels decreased

  This is due to the teacher being able to see the harm being inflicted.
• Variations of Milgram's study.

  Experimenter gave instructions over phone:

  The variable is proximity

  20.5% of participants went up to 450V

  Obedience levels decreased

  This is due to the teacher not being able to see the consequences first hand so is less effected.
• Variations of Milgram's study.

  Experimenter is in normal clothes:

  The variable is uniform

  20% of participants went up to 450V

  Obedience levels decreased

  This is due to a lack of representation of legitimacy of authority