lesson 06 - Milgram

define obedience

a type of social influence where an individual follows a direct order from what they perceive to be an authority figure

describe Milgram’s experiment

40 American men given role of a teacher through a fixed draw and are ordered to give fake shocks to a learner (who they are unaware is a confederate) by an experimenter. the shocks administered increased by 15 volts with each mistake on memory task, up to 450V (a potentially fatal amount).

 

findings

no participants stopped before 300V and 65% went all the way up to the top of the shock scale, 450V.

many showed signs of stress, most objected but continues anyway.

prior survey prediction on how many people would obey in Milgram’s study

3%

many said that anyone who went to 450V would be a psychopath

Milgram sampling method

volunteer

how Milgram deceived ppts

• tested obedience not memory

• they were the participants

• draw for role was rigged

Milgram’s method

controlled observation (no IV manipulation)

why did people obey in Milgram’s experiment?

• legitimate authority: university/science legitimise behaviour

• lack of perceived responsibility (agentic state)

define situational variables

features of the immediate physical and social environment which may influence a person's behaviour e.g. proximity, location, uniform

define dispositional variables

behaviour is explained in terms of personality

3 situational variables

proximity, location, uniform

effect of varying proximity

obedience was 40% when learner and teacher were in same room

remote instruction, given orders over phone: 20.5%

• proximity means teacher cannot psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions

effect of varying location

obedience fell to 47.5% in a run-down office

• prestige of Yale university gave the setting more credibility and legitimacy

effect of varying uniform

researched by Bickmen et al - obedience levels were higher when confederate was given orders by those in security guard uniform compared to milkman’s uniform or suit and tie etc.

• the more legitimate the authority, the more obedient the ppt will be

effect of buffers (someone else administers the shock)

obedience rose to 92.5%

effect of teacher having to force the learner's hand onto a shock plate

obedience dropped to 30%

effect of experimenter called away and the role of the experimenter was taken over by an ordinary member of the public

obedience dropped to 20%