milgram

what is an agentic state?

becoming an instrument for carrying out another persons wishes

what is the background to milgrams study?

germans are different theory

aim of the study

to investigate the process of obedience by testing how far an individual will go in obeying an authority figure, even if it breaches their moral code

sample

40 males aged 20-50 from the new haven area

how was the sample collected?

newspaper advert asked for volunteers in a study on memory and learning (fake aim) paid $4.50

where did the study take place?

yale university

research method?

controlled observation

who observed the behaviours?

both the experimenter in the room and others observing through one way mirrors

who was the authority figure?

a stern looking experimenter in a white lab coat

what was the second fake aim the ppts were given?

told theyd be in a study on the effect of punishment on learning

what role were ppts given?

‘teacher’

what was the learner doing?

ppts saw the learner strapped to a chair with electrodes attached to his arms

what were ppts given?

a trial shock of 45 volts

what did ppts have to do?

conduct a paired word test on the learner - give him an electric shock of increasing intensity for every wrong answer

what was the range of voltage?

15-450 volts

what were the increments that the voltage was increasing in?

15 volts

what did the learner do?

using a tape recording had predetermined answers - 3 wrong answers to every correct one

what did the learner do at 300 v?

pound on the wall

what did the learner do after 300 v?

stopped making noise and stopped answering

if the ppt wanted to stop what did the authority figure do?

responded with a series of standardised prods such as ‘the experiment requires that you continue’

were there any long term psychological effects for ppts?

no

how many ppts went to 300v?

100%

how many ppts went to 450v?

65%

qualitative data?

many showed signs of distress, sweating, trembling, stuttering etc. 3 ppts had seizures. when finished many sighed in relief, mopped brows etc.

explanations for obedience

• prestigious uni of yale influenced them

• told the shocks weren’t harmful

• situation was new for the participant - no past experience to guide behaviour

conclusions

• inhumane acts can be carried out by normal people - disproving germans are different theory

• people will obey others they consider legitimate authority figures

• people obey because situational factors lead them to suspend their sense of autonomy

ethical issues

• deception

• protection from harm

• right to withdraw

  • however, did include a debrief