4) Milgram's Baseline Study

Define obedience?

A form of social influence in which an individual changes their behaviour following a direct order.

• The person issuing the order is usually a figure of authority who has the power to punish when the obedient behaviour is not forthcoming.

Outline Milgram’s research into obedience (include aims + procedure)

AIM:

To investigate whether ordinary people would obey an unjust order from an authority figure, and inflict pain on an innocent person.

METHOD:

40 American males volunteered to take part in the study, supposedly to ‘assess the impact of punishment on learning’.

• It was conducted at Yale university.

• Upon arrival, participants met an experimenter and another participant (both confederates).

• They drew ‘lots’ to determine who would be assigned which role.

• However, it was rigged so that the participant was always assigned ‘teacher’ and the confederate always ‘learner’.

• Participants were required to test the learners ability to recall pairs of words.

• If the learner got it wrong, they received an electric shock that the teacher had to administer.

• These shocks started at 15V, going up in intervals of 15V to the maximum of 450V.

• At 300V ‘intense shock’- the leaner began to bang on the wall and complain- “let me out” etc…

• The experimenter asks the teacher to continue.

• After 315V, no further responses are heard from the learner.

• The experimenter again asks the teacher to continue.

• If the teacher tried to stop the experiment at any point, the experimenter would respond with a series of VERBAL PRODS- e.g: “You must continue”.

• After 4 refusals to continue, the teacher is allowed to stop.

Outline the findings of Milgram’s research (+conclusions he made)?

RESULTS:

Milgram found that 100% of the participants went to at least 300 volts.

• 12.5% of participants stopped there at 300V.

• 65% continued and administered the full 450V.

Milgram also collected qualitative data with observations:

• Many participants were sweating, trembling, stuttering, digging fingerprints etc…

• 3 had full blown seizures.

CONCLUSION:

Milgram concluded that German people are not more obedient but rather, under the right situational circumstances, ordinary people will obey unjust orders from a perceived authority figure.

• Certain situational factors encourage obedience.

• Ordinary people are extremely obedient to authority, even for inhumane acts.

• People who commit atrocities aren’t evil, just obedient.

Evaluate the strengths of Milgram’s research?

STRENGTH: RESEARCH SUPPORT

Milgram’s findings were replicated in:

Le Jeu de la Mort:

A French documentary where participants believed they were in a gameshow and paid to give (fake) electric shocks to other participants (confederates) in front of a studio audience.

• 80% gave maximum 460V to an apparently unconscious man.

Their behaviour is almost identical to that of Milgram’s participants.

STRENGTH: MORE RESEARCH SUPPORT- COUNTER TO PERRY

SHERIDAN AND KING:

In 1972, they did a Milgram-like study.

Participants gave REAL shocks to a puppy in response to orders from an experimenter.

• 54% of males gave what they thought to be a fatal electric shock.

• 100% of females gave what they thought to be a fatal electric shock.

Suggests Milgram’s results are genuine as people obedient even when the shocks are real.

Evaluate the limitations of Milgram’s research?

LIMITATION: ETHICAL ISSUES

Milgram’s study broke several ethical guidelines.

• DECEPTION: Participants thought they were in the study to see how punishment affects learning. Role allocation was also rigged.

• PROTECTION FROM HARM: Many participants showed signs of distress, or may have continued to feel guilty afterwards. 3 had seizures. These breaches damage psychology’s reputation, which could jeopardise future research.

LIMITATION: LACK OF INTERNAL VALIDITY

Milgram reported that 75% of participants believed shocks were genuine.

ORNE AND HOLLAND:
They suggest that participants did not believe in the set up and were acting.

PERRY:

Confirmed this after listening to tapes of Milgram’s participants.

• He reported only 50% believed shocks were real and 2/3 of these participants were disobedient.

• Demand characteristics?