Variations to Milgram's original experiment

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Experiment 7 : Telephonic Instructions

  • Aim: to see whether the physical proximity of the experimenter had an influnece on the level of obedience displayed by pps.
  • Procedure: experimenter gave the 40 male pps order over the phone. After initially giving the intructions face-to-face at the start, the experimenter left the room so the teacher was left alone in the room and received further instructions and verbal prods over the phone.
  • Results: Obedience levels dropped to 22.5% (9/40) of those willing to administer 450V shocks compared to the 65% in the original study. Also observed that some pps continued to administer lower sicks rather than increasing the voltage and even lied to the experimenter.
  • Conclusion: the physical presence of an authority figure is an important factor affecting people's obedience.
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Experiment 10: Run-Down Office Block

  • AIM: Milgram wondered if the well-known setting of Yale University affected the results in the original study, so he set up the study in a run-down office block instead to see whether obedience levels would change if the orders by the authority figure were given in a less prestigious setting.
  • Procedure: The experiment was held in an office suite in Bridgeport away from the University supposedly by a private rsearch company in a downtown office block. 40 males were selected by mailshot and were paid for their time. PPs were allocated a teacher in the rigged draw and asked to give shocks to the learner when they gave an incorrect answer up to 450V. PPs were prompted to continue if they showed hestitation. Experimenter did not wear a lab coat.
  • Results: Obedience levels dropped to 47.5% (19/40), PPs also questioned the credentials of the study on arrival. PPs evidently showed more doubts and asked more questions.
  • Conclusion: The environment in which orders are given is also an important factor which affects obedience.
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Experiment 13: Ordinary Man Gives Orders

  • Aim: whether obedience levels will be changed if an ordinary man was giving orders, desgined to test the role of authority and status on pp's obedience levels.
  • Procedure: 3 people arrived at the lab , 2 were study confederates. The naive pp was allocated the role of teacher in the rigged draw so that the two confederates were always the learners. The experimenter told the teacher to deliver shocks to the learner when they gave an incorrect answer but did not specify the voltage of the electric shocks. The experimenter got a phone call to leave the room and the teacher was told to continue teaching the word-pairs and continuing with the shocks, increasing by 15V each time. 
  • Results: Obedience levels dropped to 20% (8/40)
  • Conclusion: orders given by an ordinary man are likely to lead to lower levels of obedience because the authority figure is seen as less legitimate compared to those who are wearing uniform. 
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