Milgram Study - Evaluation

Question 1

Why did Milgram’s research lack internal validity?

Answer 1

• The participants didn’t believe that the electric shocks were real.
• It wouldn’t have made sense that someone in a learning environment would receive fatal shocks.
• They knew they weren’t hurting anyone.

Question 2

How did participants behave?

Answer 2

They behaved as they were expected to due to the demand characteristics of the study.

Question 3

Why did many participants state that they were suspicious?

Answer 3

Many participants said that they wee suspicious because the experimenter remained so calm.

Question 4

How many participants believed they were giving electric shocks?

Answer 4

Milgram reported that 75% of the participants strongly believed that they were giving electric shocks.

Question 5

Milgram caused psychological damage to participants that couldn’t be justified; why did he defend himself?

Answer 5

• He didn’t know prior to the study that such high levels of distress would be caused.
• He considered ending the study when he observed participants behaviour, but decided there was no indication of damaging effects.
• 84% of participants had stated that they were glad to have participated.
• The potential damage to participants needs to be weighed against the importance of the findings.

Question 6

How did Milgram fail in his duty of care for participants?

Answer 6

Some were waiting for up to a year before they were debriefed, despite leaving the lab believing they had killed someone.