2.6.2 Social psychology & Milgram

Question 1

what are social psychologists interested in?

Answer 1

social behaviour

Question 2

give examples of research methods social psychologists use:

Answer 2

field experiments
self report
content analysis
controlled observations

Question 3

when was milgrams research carried out?

Answer 3

1963

Question 4

what was the aim of milgrams research?

Answer 4

to see how far people would go in obeying an instruction even when it involved harming another person

Question 5

how was the sample of milgrams study selected?

Answer 5

self/volunteer - responded to newspaper ads

Question 6

who were the participants?

Answer 6

40 males
aged 20 - 50
paid $4.50

Question 7

who else were involved in the experiment?

Answer 7

learner (actor)

experimenter (actor)

Question 8

where was the research carried out?

Answer 8

2 rooms at Yale

1. had the learner and electric chair
2. had teacher & experimenter with a shock generator

Question 9

what did the procedure involve?

Answer 9

teacher asking learner to recall words, then shocked them when they got it wrong - increasing the voltage of the shock with each wrong answer

Question 10

what did milgram find: how many participants went to 450v?

Answer 10

65% or two thirds

Question 11

what voltage did all participants go to?

Answer 11

300v

Question 12

conclusions: Ordinary people are likely to….

Answer 12

….follow orders given by authority figure even to the extent of killing

Question 13

Conclusions: People obey orders from authority figure if…..

Answer 13

….they recognise that authority as being morally right

Question 14

what does internal validity refer to?

Answer 14

whether the research actually measures what it claims to measure

Question 15

what was an internal validity strength of milgrams procedure?

Answer 15

well standardised - everyone had the same experience

Question 16

what was an internal validity strength of how obedience was operationalized?

Answer 16

accurately operationalized

by the voltage level the participants would give

Question 17

how did orne and Holland argue milgram’s research lacked internal validity?

Answer 17

participants must have realised the set up was fake - the experimenter didn’t check on the learner who was screaming in pain

Question 18

what did perry argue about the internal validity of milgram’s study?

Answer 18

participants knew they weren’t hurting anyone based upon a following questionnaire in which many said they were suspicious

Question 19

what is an argument against orne & Holland and Perry to say that milgrams study did have internal validity?

Answer 19

evidence came after debrief - they can fake answers but participants couldn’t fake reactions such as tears and panic attacks

Question 20

what were some of the subjects suspicions?

Answer 20

learners cries appeared to be coming from a speaker
check looked worn - used over and over
experimenters lack of concern

Question 21

what did post research interview show about the percentage of participants who believed they were giving real shocks?

Answer 21

75% believed they were giving real shocks

Question 22

what is external validity?

Answer 22

can the findings be applied to outside the research setting?

Question 23

why did milgrams study lack ecological validity? (external validity)

Answer 23

artificial test - controlled

didn’t reflect obedience in everyday world

Question 24

why does milgram’s study lack population validity?

Answer 24

findings only apply to male americans

Question 25

what is mundane realism? was milgrams experiment high or low in it? (external validity)

Answer 25

the extent to which a situation reflects real life

LOW

Question 26

what is experimental realism? was milgrams experiment high or low in it? (external validity)

Answer 26

so engrossed in research study they forget its artificial and actually show real behaviour
HIGH

Question 27

what have replications of milgrams experiment found? (external validity strength)

Answer 27

high levels of obedience across sex & nationality

Question 28

ethics: why did milgram’s study not break ethical guidelines?

Answer 28

they didn’t exist at the time

Question 29

ethics: how were milgram’s participants deceived?

Answer 29

told the aim was punishment and learning when it was obedience
actors faking reactions
fake shocks

Question 30

why mighty milgram have argued deception was necessary?

Answer 30

to avoid demand characteristics

Question 31

why did milgram’s study have a lack of full informed consent?

Answer 31

aim was lied about
fake shocks
participants didn’t have full knowledge couldn’t give full consent

Question 32

how did milgram overcome the issue of full informed consent?

Answer 32

retro active consent - asked participants after if they would consent once they understood the research
presumptive consent - asking people on street

Question 33

how were participants not protected from harm?

Answer 33

distressed thinking they were harming the learner
panic attacks
have to live with the knowledge they could kill someone

Question 34

how did milgram overcome the issue of not protecting participants from harm?

Answer 34

thorough debrief
counselling
asked how they felt about participating - 80% said they were glad and thought more research should be done

Question 35

who was the learner?

Answer 35

47 year old irish American (actor)

Question 36

who was the experimenter and what did he say to the teacher if they tried to stop?

Answer 36

31 year old actor

“please continue” “you must go on”

Question 37

what were participants told the aim of the experiment was?

Answer 37

investigating learning and punishment