obedience

• outline the procedure of milgram's study

  • 40 male volunteers, paid for their time
  • deceived into thinking they gave electric shocks
  • shocks started at 15v and went up to 450v
  • experimenter gave verbal "prods" when teacher hesitated
  • continued until participant refused or highest shocks
• what were the findings of milgram's study?

  all participants continued to 300V

  • 12.5% stopped at 300V
  • 65% gave 450V

  many participants were distressed and anxious

  • debriefed afterwards

  people are likely to obey authority even in immoral situations
• outline the ethical issues that occurred in milgram's study

  deception

  • told it was a memory study
  • prevented demand characteristics

  consent

  • obtained written consent
  • deception meant not fully consented

  right to withdraw

  • always free to leave
  • "prods" increased difficulty of this

  protection from harm

  • visibly agitated, negative impact on welfare
  • follow up interview meant no lasting harm
• outline evaluation point 1 for milgram's study

  ethical issues

  • psychological harm (interviews)
  • deception (debriefed)
  • justified
• outline evaluation point 2 for milgram's study

  lack of validity

  • Orne & Holland - didn't believe shocks were real (distress says otherwise)
  • Perry - believers more likely to disobey compared to doubters
  • findings aren't credible
• outline evaluation point 3 for milgram's study

  supporting research

  • French TV show - 80% delivered max shock
  • high temporal validity
  • no replication since 2010, obedience changes
• what was the variation of milgram's study involving proximity?

  1. teacher & learner in same room - 40%
  2. teacher forces hand onto shock plate - 30%
  3. gave orders over the phone - 20.5%

  increased proximity, less likely to obey
• what was the variation of milgram's study involving location?

  1. moved to old office block - 47.5%
  2. yale university - 65%

  location provides integrity of experimenter
• what was the variation of milgram's study involving uniform?

  1. authority figure wore plain clothes - 20%

  Bushman - obeyed uniformed confederate over businesswear and beggar

  
  

  uniform conveys power