Chapter 2 - Milgram Study Of Obedience

Question 1

Why did milgram make this experiment in the USA ?

Answer 1

He wanted to see if people from the USA were as obedient as German soldiers from WW2

Question 2

Describe the participants

Answer 2

40 males
20-50 years
Unskilled to professional

Question 3

Which role was the participant always assigned

Answer 3

Always as the teacher, the learner was a voice recording of an actor

Question 4

Describe the task the teacher had to do

Answer 4

Gave learner a list of word pairs to memorise, when the learner got this wrong, they gave them an electric shock increasing every time the learner got one wrong

Question 5

What was the range of voltage from the shocks

Answer 5

15-450v

Question 6

At 75v what is heard from learners room

Answer 6

Audible pain groan

Question 7

After 330v what could be heard from the learners room

Answer 7

Nothing, it was silent.

Question 8

What instructed the teachers to carry on

Answer 8

4 instructed prods from the experimenter in the white lab coat

Question 9

What percentage of people administered the highest shock

Answer 9

65%

Question 10

What did milgram predict percentage of teachers to go to maximum shock would be

Answer 10

3%

Question 11

What percentage of participants administered a shock even when the learner said he had a compliant and wanted out

Answer 11

80%

Question 12

Give a reason for why the figure was so high, why it was difficult to say no

Answer 12

Normative pressures

Authority figure present difficult to say no

Question 13

How were the participants not protected from psychological harm

Answer 13

Extremely stressful situation, there was psychical evidence of distress within the study

Question 14

Was there a right to withdraw ?!

Answer 14

It was difficult to withdraw due to to commands to comtinue, however this was necessary for nature of study

Question 15

What was the element of deception in the study

Answer 15

It was advertised as a study about memory and learning, not obedience

This could of been necessary to avoid participant bias

Question 16

A criticism of how data was handle

Answer 16

The way milgram reported his regulars was biased and there was elective editing and recording of experiments.

Question 17

What is a main concern about milgram a study

Answer 17

Participants may not have been displaying obedience

In an analysis of responses the 4th prod did no elicit obedience as no participant complied

Question 18

What was suggested about the role of identification in this study

Answer 18

Participants may have been motivated by identification with scientific community, and not obedience to authority.

Question 19

Why did Milgram have such interest in the Holocaust

Answer 19

Some of his family members survived Nazi concentration camps

Question 20

What is prompt number 2

Answer 20

The experiment requires that you must continue

Question 21

What is prompt number 4

Answer 21

You have no other choice, you must go on

Question 22

Why did the participants conform due to informational social influence

Answer 22

Told shocks were not harmful

In a state of conflict they followed the expert for guidance

Question 23

In a follow up study when participants were able to question authority, what was the difference in the results

Answer 23

100% of participants ceased to give the maximum shock

Question 24

If the participant was given free range of shock level to give the teacher, what percentage would give the maximum shock

Answer 24

3%

Question 25

What results did burger achieve with his replication study in 2009

Answer 25

70% reached 150v Two teacher study - 63% reached 150v

Question 26

What result of obedience did Dolinsk attain from his replication study

Answer 26

90% obedience

Question 27

What was the voltage threshold identified in burger and dolinskis studies

Answer 27

Identified a 150v threshold, if a participant was willing to go to this this showed they were willing to go the full way

Question 28

In the French show- the game of death what percentage of participants gave the maximum shock levels

Answer 28

80%

Question 29

Name some experimental issues with the study

Answer 29

Sample- volunteer sample Leaner was always male so not representative Ecological validity questioned as the design was more relevant to a military context

Question 30

How did milgram a study allow for replication

Answer 30

He uses standardised procedures,

Question 31

Name some ethical issues with the study

Answer 31

Deception- might of been necessary though No protection of participants - stressful Commands to continue may have prevented right to withdraw, but only 35% did

Question 32

What did the participants receive after the study

Answer 32

Debrief | 84% of participmats said they were glad they participated in the study

Question 33

Name some controversial points with this study

Answer 33

Biased way of reporting results Selective editing in recording of experiments Deviation from protocol Some participants had not been debriefed

Question 34

Why were milgrams intentions questioned

Answer 34

Participants not showing obedience, were given prods, but the prods did not elicit obedience

Question 35

Why may people not be as obedient to the prods

Answer 35

As the prods were seen as orders, which can cause disobedience