Topic #5: Asch's Conformity Experiment and Milgram's Obedience Experiment

Module 14: How Nice People Get Corrupted

What is conformity?

adjusting to group standards

What did Solomon Asch’s study focus on?

the internal aspects of conformity

How did Asch deceive the participants?

by making them think the study was about perception

What was the procedure of Asch’s study?

There was one participant in a room of 7 confederates. Everyone was shown a target line and 3 comparison lines, then asked which comparison line matched the target line, and the answer was always obvious. For the first several rounds, everyone got the answers correct, but then the confederates started giving the wrong answer, and despite knowing the answer, the participant began second guessing themselves and decided to conform

What are the Conditions of Conformity?

the 7 things that must be in place to make you more likely to conform

What is the 1st Condition of Conformity?

you must come from a culture that strongly encourages respect for rules/standards (all cultures)

What is the 2nd Condition of Conformity?

you must admire the group’s status or attractiveness

What is the 3rd Condition of Conformity?

you must feel either incompetent or insecure (starts when you first second guess yourself)

What is the 4th Condition of Conformity?

you have made no prior commitment to any response

What is the 5th Condition of Conformity?

the group is unanimous

What is the 6th Condition of Conformity?

the group must have at least 3 people

What is the 7th Condition of Conformity?

the group has the ability to observe your behavior

What type of state is conformity more of?

an internal one

What will happen if it comes down to conformity or confrontation?

conformity will take priority

What did Stanley Milgram’s study focus on?

the conflict between obedience to authority and personal conscience

What was Milgram’s study inspired by?

Nazis’ obedience during the Holocaust and their justifications for genocide during the Nuremberg trials

What did Milgram want to see in his study?

whether this level of obedience was specific to the Nazis, or if others could be the same way under similar circumstances

How did Milgram deceive the participants?

by telling them the study was about using physical punishment to improve learning and memory

What are the 3 roles in the experiment?

learner, experimenter, and teacher

What 2 roles in the experiment are confederates?

learner and experimenter

What was the procedure of Milgram’s study?

The experimenter (confederate) explains the study to the learner (confederate) and teacher (participant). The teacher receives a test shock to show them the machine works, then the machine is hooked up to the learner, but it is never actually on. The learner is tested, and for every wrong answer, he is “shocked,” with the voltage gradually increasing. The learner will complain at predetermined points, and the experimenter will give 1 of 4 prods each time the teacher hesitates to shock the learner.

When does Milgram’s experiment end?

either when all 4 prods are used or the shock level reaches 450 volts, whichever comes first

What surprised Milgram about his study?

participants obeyed much more than Milgram thought they would

What did Milgram conclude?

that the Germans were no different than those in other countries and that the situation triggered a conflict between obeyed orders and not harming others

What is obedience?

responding to authority

What are the 4 Rules of Obedience?

rules that if in place, will make you prioritize obeying authority over wanting to avoid hurting someone

What is the 1st Rule of Obedience?

no role models of defiance

What is the 2nd Rule of Obedience?

authority figure must be seen as legitimate and proximate; the closer, the better

What is the 3rd Rule of Obedience?

authority figure must get authority from a prestigious institution

What is the 4th Rule of Obedience?

victim must be depersonalized, usually by taking away their name and assigning a number

How are Milgram and Ash related?

both talk about the powers of the social situation