Milgram's Study

Milgram's family were Jewish and were affected by the unethical tasks the German soliders carried out and wanted to know if Germans were different? 

Social

To investiagte the level of obedience given to authority figures when particpants were asked to administer a potentially lethal electric shock to another person.

• 40 males
• Conneticut (America)
• Paid $4.00
• 20-50 years old
• Range of occupations

Self-selected sample

Laboratory experiment

Structured observations (because there's no indepednet variable)

1. Prior to the study 14 seniors were asked to predict the results of the Americans of diverse occupations ranging in age from 20-50.

2. The 40 participants in the experimental group were given the role of the teacher through a fixed straw drawing and met the learner (Stooge) who informed the participants of a minor heart condition. The tacker was given a small electric shock to show how it felt and the fact it was real.

3. The teacher sat in front of the shock generator as he conducted a word pair test on the learner. He gave the learner an electric shock every time he said a wrong answer. Each time the voltage would increase by 15v.

4. The learner had recorded set of pre-determined answers including pounding on the wall at 300vs and screams.

5. If the teacher asked to stop the experimenter had a series of standardised prods to give him e.g. please continue or the experiment requires you to continue.

6. The study concluded when the teacher refused or they reached 450vs 

Qualititative data = observation of what participants said and did.

Quantitiative data = How far they went along the voltages. 

Predicit

• 0.3% would administer a lethal shock

Actual

• 100% went up to 300v
• 65% went up to 450v

Considerable disagreement between the predicit and actual results.

Many showed signs of extreme stress e.g. sweating, trembling, stuttering. pulling ear lobes.

When they completed the study many heaved with relief.

Milgarm offered explanations why they obeyed e.g. prestiguous university, told shocks painful but were not harmful, New experience for the participants so they had no past to guide their behaviour on. 

1. It was at Yale university (a prestigious institute)

2. The learner volunteered for the experiment and submitted himself for shocks.

3. The experimenter was wearing a white lab coat making him look professional.

4. They were getting paid meaning they may have not wanted to stop in fear of losing the payment.

5. It was done in a professional environment.

6. There was a lack of clarity about the biliary to withdraw (prods)

7. Learner continued to answer up to 300v.

8. Participants told shocks were painful but not harmful.

9. Participant had volunteered so felt obliged to continue.

Inhumane acts can be done by ordinary people.

People will obey others whom they consider to be a legitimate authority figure even if they are asked to do something that goes agaisnt their moral beliefs. 

People will obey because certain situational factors lead them to suspend their sense of autonomy and become an agent of an authority figure.

Individual differences e.g. persoanlity can influeece the extent to which people will be obeidnt.