Milgram's study (Content) Flashcards
What type of sample was Milgram’s sample?
Volunteer sample.
What people were involved in Milgram’s study (the sample)
40 American males aged 20-50.
What was Milgram’s aim?
-To find out if Nazi soilder’s behaviour was usual or not
-If situational or dispositional factors effected obedience more.
How was it decided who was the learner and who was the teacher?
Through a rigged draw (confederate was always the learner, participant was always the teacher).
What was Milgram’s procedure?
-After the rigged draw, before beginning the study the ppt was given a 45 volt shock.
-They used a word association game and every time Mr. Wallace got a work wrong he received a shock.
-The shocks increased by 15 volts each time.
-At 300 volts Mr. Wallace would bang on the wall then stay silent.
-4 prods were used on each ppt to get them to stay and given by the experimenter.
How many people went all the way to 450 volts?
65%
How many people went to 300 volts?
100%
What was Milgram’s conclusion?
-Situational factors effect obedience more than dispositional factors.
-The Nazis were only being obedient to their leaders and following orders.
What were some ethical issues with Milgram’s study?
-Protection from harm: the prods distressed ppts and they did things such as digging their nails into their hands.
-There was a lot of deception as the ppts thought the study was about learning (no informed consent also).
-Right to withdraw: the prods didn’t allow ppts to leave and attempted to get them to carry on with the study.
What were some problems with Milgram’s sample?
-A volunteer sample from a newspaper advert is more likely to have shared characterisitcs.
Where was the study held?
Yale university.
How does the setting of a lab experiment effect Milgram’s study.
Could have cause demand charcteristics as it is in a prestigous enviroment.
What are some strengths of Milgram’s study?
-Very reliable results as all ppts went up to 330 volts each time and every person had the same experience.
-Valid lab study as it has consistent results and measures obedience.
-Debriefed all ppts after the study and maintained confidentiality.
What are some weaknesses of Milgram’s study?
-Only 40 American(ethnocentric) males(endocentric) , not enough to generalise the whole population.
-Not applicable to real life as not a real life situation to be in
-People are taught to question peoples authority to avoid harm.
-Some people knew it was a hoax infulencing demand charcateristics.
