Core Studies - Milgram (Obedience)

Question 1

What is the key theme in Milgrams study

Answer 1

Responses to people in authority

Question 2

What is the background of milgrams study? (2)

Answer 2

He wondered if German obedience in world war 2 was dispositional and wanted to asses obedience

Also history and observations suggest that obedience is an ingrained behavioural tendency

Question 3

What is the aim of milgrams study (2)

Answer 3

To investigate the process of obedience

Investigate the power of legitimate authority even when a command requires destructive behaviour

Question 4

What was the method

Answer 4

Controlled observation that took place in a laboratory (no IV so can’t be an experiment)

Question 5

What was the dependant variable (2)

Answer 5

The maximum voltage participants went up to

The behaviours of participants gathered by observers

Question 6

What was the sample method?

Answer 6

Self selected sample by a newspaper advert which advertised it as a study for memory at Yale university

Question 7

How many participants were there

Answer 7

40 male participants

Question 8

What did the participants receive
How old were participants and where were they from

Answer 8

4.5 dollars + cents

All from new haven area

20-50 years old

Question 9

What happens prior to the study

Answer 9

14 Yale seniors were provided with detailed descriptions of the study and told to reflect carefully then predict behaviour of 100 hypothetical subjects - estimated 1-3% would administer higher at school (mean of 1.2%)

Question 10

Describe the procedure

Answer 10

Participants went to Yale university

Participant introduced to Mr Wallace and they took part in a fixed lottery where volunteer always got the role of the teacher

Participants saw mr Wallace get strapped into a chair with non active electrodes attached to his hands

They were told schocks weren’t harmful (caused no tissue damage) - teacher received 45 volts to make it seem real

The teacher conducted a paired word test and gave electric shock of increasing voltage / intensity in 15v increments for every wrong answer

The learner produced same pre determined answers by tape recording and at 300 volts he pounded on the wall and then stopped responding

Participants fully debriefed

Question 11

What was the range of volts on the generator

Answer 11

15 - 450V

Question 12

What was the role of the experimenter in the room

Answer 12

They had standardised prods to deliver for example “please continue”

Question 13

What are 2 quantitative results

Answer 13

26 participants (65%) were completely obedient (continued until the end) and 14 were defiant

All 40 participants continued until 300V

Question 14

What are 2 qualitative results

Answer 14

Participants showed signs of nervousness, sweating shaking stuttering during the study

Three participants had uncontrollable seizures

Question 15

What are 2 conclusions

Answer 15

People obey others who they consider legitimate authority even if what they are asked to do goes against moral beliefs

People enter agentic state (follows orders of authority figure)

Question 16

What is an explanation for participants stopping at 300V

Answer 16

Entered autonomous state after hearing student kick wall - feel responsible for their actions

Question 17

Evaluate the research method

Answer 17

Controlled observation so potential extraneous variables can be controlled for example the shock levels so increases internal validity

Participants aware they were being observed and studied so demand characteristics also no IV so can’t establish cause and effect

Question 18

Evaluate the validity of the study

Answer 18

Low external validity due to artificial conditions

Question 19

Evaluate the different types of data

Answer 19

Quantitative data which made it easier to compare results and come up with with conclusions ie 26 obedient

Quantitative data simplifies human behaviours

Produced qualitative data too so can see more detail ie some participants obeyed but seemed regretful

Question 20

Evaluate any sampling bias

Answer 20

Can be representative because included men of all backgrounds

Only had men so gender bias can’t generalise results too much

Age bias

Question 21

Evaluate ethical considerations

Answer 21

Participants debriefed

No protection of harm some had seizures
No informed consent told shocks were real
Deception had right to withdraw but told to continue

Question 22

Evaluate ethnocentrism

Answer 22

Only Americans involved
Individualist culture so mote about individual gains
Others may be more sympathetic

Question 23

Give a few reasons why the participants might have obeyed

Answer 23

Participants were paid for it so felt like had to continue

Experimenter wore uniform

Sleep selected sample so had to comit