2.5.1 Evaluation & Ethics of Milgram Flashcards
(5 cards)
1
Q
identify and explain 2 strengths of Milgram
A
- high internal validty
> 70% of ptps believed shocks were real– genuine behaviour - highly replicable
> repeated globally with similar result - french study 85% obeyed
> cross-cultural consistency- increases reliability of findings
2
Q
identify 1 positive ethical point of Milgram
A
participants were given a thorough debriefing and were reassured after study
- 84% were glad to have participated
- 74% felt they had learned something valuable
3
Q
identify 2 ways Milgrams study can be applied to real life settings
A
- external validity
> supported by holfing et al. (1966) - 95% of nurses obeyed unethical order over the phone from a doctor
> generalised obedience to real-world scenarios - real-world applications
> helps udnerstadn how ordinary people commnit harmful acts under authority – e.g Nazi Germany
> increases awareness of how destructive obedience occurs
> useful in education, military and workplace training for encouraging ethical behaviour
4
Q
Identify and explain 2 weaknesses of Milgram
A
- low ecological validity
> artifical and controlled in a lab setting
> doesnt compare to real life harmful actions
> lacks mundane realism –> reduces generalisability - questionable internal validity
> some argued ptps obeyed out of trust in the experiment or didn’t believe shocks were real
> obedience dropped to 20.5% in run down office
> indicates study measured trust or conformity and not true obedience
5
Q
identify 3 ethical issues in Milgrams study
A
- psychological harm
> ptps showed extreme emotional distress (sweating, trembling) - ethical issues
> deception
> no informed consent
> justified to avoid demand characteristics but breach ethical guidelines - social sensitivity
> individuals might not be morally responsible if jsut obeying authorites
> controversial for legal and moral accountability (war crimes, criminal trials)
> could be misused to excuse criminal behaviour
