Experiment 10: Run down office block

Milgram’s variation

Procedure

Location of the experiment changed from Yale university to a run down office block.

Experimenters worked for a private unknown association

Results

48% of participants administered the full 450v shock

Strength

I: Highly controlled

J: Same prods, voltage intervals and the confederates were always the same

E: This establishes a cause and effect relationship between an illegitimate environment and decreasing obedience as there were no confounding variables affecting the levels of obedience.

Weakness

I: Low mundane realism

J: The task of administering electric shocks to a learner after being ordered to is an unnatural task unlike a parent asking you to clean your room.

E: Therefore Milgram’s findings on the legitimacy of an environment and obedience may not be applicable to real world situations.