Unit 2 – Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioural Study of Obedience (evaluation)

Why is Milgram’s participants having free will a strength?

35% of participants stopped before administering the maximum voltage, demonstrating that participants could stop if they chose to.

Why is Milgram’s research being in-depth a strength?

It offers justification as to why behaviours occurred and why 65% of participants administered the maximum voltage.

Why is Milgram’s research being standardised a strength?

There is high internal validity due to consistent verbal prods, meaning cause and effect can be established.

Why is Milgram’s research being ethically challenged a limitation?

Participants were not explicitly offered the right to withdraw. Payment and verbal prods made participants feel obligated to continue. Some participants also received their debrief a year after the study, meaning there was no valid informed consent as participants were deceived. This also may have caused psychological harm.

Why is Milgram’s research being subjective a limitation?

It could lead to a risk of researcher bias or observer bias, decreasing internal reliability.

Why is Milgram’s research lacking mundance realism a limitation?

Administering shocks does not reflect obedience, lowering external validity.

Why is Milgram’s research not being representative a limitation?

The sample being a volunteer sample means more outgoing people will sign up. It was also androcentric so the results cannot be generalised to women and how they would respond.