Milgram's research into obedience (1963) - AO1

Aim

Milgram (1963) aimed to investigate obedience to authority, specifically whether individuals would follow orders to harm another person.

Sample

He recruited 40 male volunteers aged 20–50 from New Haven, offering $4.50 for participation.

Procedure

At Yale University, participants were assigned the role of “teacher” in a rigged draw, while the “learner” was a confederate named Mr. Wallace. Teachers were instructed to administer electric shocks ranging from 15V to 450V for each incorrect answer in a memory task. At 300V, the learner pounded on the wall and then fell silent. The experimenter, dressed in a grey lab coat, used scripted prods to encourage continuation.

Results

Despite predictions from psychology students that only 0–3% would deliver the maximum shock, 65% of participants did so, with an average voltage of 368V.

Conclusion

Milgram concluded that ordinary people obey authority even when it conflicts with personal morals.