🧠 psychology - milgram 🔴 Flashcards
(138 cards)
1
Q
What was Milgram’s study about?
A
Destructive obedience
2
Q
Under agency theory, what are the two states?
A
- Autonomous state
- Agentic state
3
Q
What is the autonomous state?
A
Being under one’s own control and having the power to make your own decisions
4
Q
What is the agentic state?
A
Being under the control of someone else and obeying their orders even if they cause you distress
5
Q
What is the GADH?
A
The Germans Are Different Hypothesis - the belief that the holocaust happened because of internal dispositional factors
6
Q
What was the false aim of Milgram?
A
To investigate the effect of punishment on learning and memory.
7
Q
What was the true aim of Milgram?
A
To investigate what level of obedience would be shown when participants were told by an authority figure to administer electric shock
8
Q
What type of experiment was Milgram?
A
A controlled observation
9
Q
Where did Milgram take place?
A
Yale University, Elegant interaction laboratory
10
Q
What historical event prompted Milgram’s study?
A
The holocaust
11
Q
What was the grant that supported Milgram’s research?
A
A grant from the National Science Foundation
12
Q
How many marked voltage levels were on the shock generator?
A
30
13
Q
What was the range of the voltages on the shock generator?
A
From 15V to 450V
14
Q
What was the increments of voltage on the shock generator?
A
15V
15
Q
What were the verbal designations on the shock generator?
A
- Slight shock
- Moderate shock
- Strong Shock
- Very Strong Shock
- Intense Shock
- Extreme Intensity Shock
- Danger: Severe Shock
- XXX
16
Q
For what voltages was “Slight Shock”?
A
15-60V
17
Q
For what voltages was “Moderate Shock”?
A
75-120V
18
Q
For what voltages was “Strong Shock”?
A
135-180V
19
Q
For what voltages was “Very Strong Shock”?
A
195-240V
20
Q
For what voltages was “Intense Shock”?
A
255-300V
21
Q
For what voltages was “Extreme Intensity Shock”?
A
315-360V
22
Q
For what voltages was “Danger: Severe Shock”?
A
375-420V
23
Q
For what voltages is “XXX”?
A
435-450V
24
Q
Describe the lights on the shock generator
A
- A pilot light corresponded to each switch, illuminating in bright red
- An electric blue light labelled “voltage energiser” flashes
- A dial on the voltage meter switches to the right and relay switches sound
25
26
How was the believability of the shock generator ensured?
- Intricate label
- Precision industrial engraving
- High quality
27
What was the shock generator labelled on the upper left hand corner?
"Shock generator, Type ZLB, Dyson Instrument Company, Waltham, Mass, Output 15 Volts to 450 Volts"
28
How many participants realised it wasn't a real shock generator?
None!
29
How many subjects were involved in Milgram?
40
30
What were the ages of subjects in Milgram?
20-50
31
From where did subjects for Milgram come from?
New Haven and the surrounding communities
32
What method of sampling did Milgram use to recruit participants?
Volunteer Sampling
33
What was the name of the learning task in Milgram?
"paired-associate"
34
What did the paired-associate learning task involve?
The subject reading a reading a series of word pairs to the learner, then reading the first word of each pair along with four terms. The learner had to indicate which of the four terms was originally paired with the first word.
35
How did the learner / victim indicate which word they believed was originally paired?
They pressed one of four buttons
36
Describe the chair that the learner had to sit on in Milgram
- It was an electric chair
- The learner was strapped to it
- An electrode was attached to the learner's wrist, with electrode paste applied
- The learner was *told* that the electrode was connected to the shock generator
37
How much were participants paid for volunteering for Milgram?
$4.50
38
How did payment work in Milgram?
Participants were told that the payment was simply for coming to the lab, and that the money was theirs no matter what happened after arrival
39
40
What were the typical occupations of subjects in Milgram?
Postal clerks, high school teachers, salesmen, engineers, laborers
41
How did the education level of participants in Milgram vary?
From one who hadn't completed elementary school, to those who had doctorate or professional degrees.
42
What percentage of the participants were workers (skilled and unskilled)?
37.5%
43
What percentage of participants were salesmen, businessmen, or white-collar
40%
44
What percentage of participants were professional?
22.5%
44
What percentage of participants were aged 20-29?
20%
45
What percentage of participants were aged 30-39?
40%
46
What percentage of participants were aged 40-50?
40%
47
How many workers (skilled and unskilled) were aged **20-29**?
**4**
48
How many workers (skilled and unskilled) were aged **30-39**?
**5**
49
How many workers (skilled and unskilled) were aged **40-50**?
**6**
50
How many salesmen, businessmen and white-collar were aged **20-29**?
**3**
51
How many salesmen, businessmen and white-collar were aged **30-39**?
**6**
52
How many salesmen, businessmen and white-collar were aged **40-50**?
**7**
53
How many professionals were aged **20-29**?
**1**
54
How many professionals were aged **30-39**?
**5**
55
How many professionals were aged **40-50**?
**3**
56
Who played the role of the experimenter in Milgram?
A 31 year old high school biology teacher
57
Describe the 31 year old bio teacher experimenter.
- Impassive manner
- Somewhat stern appearance
- Grey technitian's coat
58
Who played the role of victim in Milgram?
A 47 year old accountant
59
Describe the 47 year old accountant victim
- Trained for the world
- Of Irish-American stock
- Most observers found him mild-mannered and likeable
60
Describe the pretext in procedure to the actual Milgram study.
1. A general introduction on the presumed relation between punishment and learning was told
2. Subjects were given the cover story (ending by asking the participant if they have a preference of role to give an illusion of choice)
3. Subjects drew slips of paper from a hat to determine who is teacher and who is learner - this was rigged
4. Learner was strapped to electric chair
5. Sample shock given
6. Instructions given
7. Preliminary run
61
How was the teacher and learner "picked" in Milgram?
Two slips of paper were drawn from a hat by the learner and teacher. This was rigged however as both slips said "teacher", and the naive subject would always be teacher.
61
How much was the sample shock in Milgram?
45 Volts
62
How was the sample shock administered in Milgram?
The third switch of the generator was pressed, and the shock was applied to the learner's wrist
63
What were the instructions given to the subject in Milgram?
- To administer a shock each time the learner gives a wrong response
- Instructed to "move one level higher each time the learner flashes a wrong answer"
- To announce the voltage level before administering the shock
64
Why did participants have to announce the voltage level of each shock?
To continually remind subjects of the increasing intensity of shocks administered to the learner
65
Why was a preliminary run done in Milgram?
Pretest revealed that the process of reading words and administering shock required some practice before it could be handled smoothly
66
In the preliminary run how many words were the teacher given?
10 words
67
How many "neutral words" were in the preliminary run?
3
68
What was the maximum shock in the preliminary run?
105 Volts (moderate shock)
69
What was the added instruction given to participants once they had finished the preliminary run?
When they get to the bottom of the list, to repeat it over again and continue giving shocks until the learner has learned all the pairs correctly, and to start from 15 volts and increase the shock level one step at a time for each wrong answer.
70
How was feedback from the victim standardised?
The learner gave a predetermined set of responses to the word pair test based on a schedule of approximately three wrong answers to one correct answer
71
At what shock level did the first vocal response or protest by the learner occur?
Shock Level 300
72
When did Milgram take place?
August 7th, 1961
73
What was the response of the victim at 300V?
- Pounding on the wall of the room he's bound in
- Pounding heard by subject
- From this point on the learner's answers don't appear on the four-way panel
74
After the participant turns to the experimenter for guidance at 300V, what is he told?
To treat the absence of a response as a wrong answer, and to shock the subject accordingly, but allow 5-10 seconds before considering no answer as a wrong asnwer
75
When does the learner stop pounding?
**After** 315 volts - the learner pounds one last time at 315 volts
76
How many 'prods' were there?
4
77
When was a prod said?
When a subject indicates that he doesn't want to go on
78
What was Prod 1?
"Please continue" / "Please go on"
79
What was prod 2?
"The experiment requires that you continue"
80
What was prod 3?
"It is absolutely essential that you continue"
81
What is prod 4?
"You have no other choice, you *must* go on"
82
What was the sequence of the prods?
Only if prod (n) was unsuccessful, prod (n+1) would be said
83
83
What happened if the subject was disobedient after prod 4?
The experiment was terminated
84
What was the experimenter's tone of voice when prodding?
At all times firm, but not impolite
85
When were the sequence of prods begun anew?
On each occasion the subject balked
86
What was the special prod if the subject asked if the learner was liable to suffer permanent physical injury?
"Although the shocks may be painful, there is no permanent tissue damage, so please go on."
[Followed by prods 2, 3, and 4 if necessary]
87
What was the special prod if the subject said that the learner did not want to go on?
"Whether the learner likes it or not, you must go on until he has learned all the word pairs correctly. So please go on."
[Followed by prods 2, 3, and 4 if necessary]
88
What was the IV in Milgram?
There was no IV. It's an observation
89
What was the DV / Primary Dependent Measure in Milgram?
The maximum shock the subject administers before he refuses to go any further (which may vary from 0 to 30)
90
When was a participant labelled a defiant participant?
If they broke off the experiment at any point before administering the thirtieth shock level
91
When was a participant labelled an obedient participant?
When they complied with experimental commands fully and proceeded to administer all shock levels commanded
92
How were experimental sessions in Milgram recorded?
- On magnetic tape
- Occasional photographs taken through one-way mirrors
- Notes were kept on any unusual behavior occuring during the course of the experiment
- On occasion additional observers were directed to write objective descriptions of the subjects' behavior
93
List the debriefing measures taken after Milgram
- Subjects interviewed
- Friendly reconciliation
- Open-ended questions
- Projective measures
- Attitude scales
94
What are projective measures?
A method of therapy allowing someone to "project" their feelings into stimuli
95
Who were the people involved in the prelimanary notions for Milgram?
- 14 Yale seniors, all psychology majors
- A few of Milgram's colleagues
96
What were the range of estimates in the preliminary notions among Yale students for the percentage of participants who would be obedient?
**0-3%**
97
What was the class mean in the preliminary notions among Yale students for the percentage of participants who would be obedient?
**1.2%**
98
Before the Yale students gave their predictions, what was the procedure?
1. They were given a detailed description of the experimental situation
2. They were asked to reflect carefully on it
3. They were asked to predict the behaviour of 100 hypothetical subjects by plotting the distribution of obedience
99
More specifically, what were the 100 hypothetical subjects the Yale students were told to predict the behavior of?
"100 Americans of diverse occupations, and ranging in age from 20 to 50 years"
100
How convinced were subjects of the reality of the experimental situation?
With few exceptions subjects were convinced of the reality of the experimental situation, that they were administering shocks to another person, and that the most potent shocks were extremely painful
101
In the post-experimental interview, what was the scale for the question "How painful to the learner were the last few shocks you administered to him?"
A 14 point scale ranging from "Not at all painful" to "Extremely painful"
102
What was the modal response to the question about how painful the shocks were?
14
103
What was the mean response to the question about how painful the shocks were?
13.42
104
What were some of the characteristic signs of tension that subjects showed?
- Sweat
- Tremble
- Stutter
- Bite their lips
- Groan
- Dig their fingernails into their flesh
- Nervous laughter
105
How many subjects showed definite signs of nervous laughter and smiling?
14 out of 40
106
How many subjects experienced "full-blown, uncontrolled seizures"?
3
107
What was the worst case of a seizure?
A seizure so violently convulsive that it was necessary to call a halt to the experiment
108
How old was the subject who had the "violently convulsive" seizure and what was his occupation?
46 year old encyclopedia salesman
109
What did the subject who had the "violently convulsive seizure" feel about his behavior?
He was seriously embarrassed by his untoward and uncontrollable behavior
110
In the post-exprimental intervies, what did subjects say about their laughter?
They pointed out that they were not sadistic types and that the laughter did not mean that they enjoyed shocking the victim
111
How many subjects went on shocking beyond the expected breakout point?
All 40 subjects.
112
What was the "expected breakout point" in Milgram's preliminary notions?
"Very Strong Shock"
113
How many subjects stopped before administering shock level 20 (300V)?
None!
114
In total how many subjects defied the experimenter?
14
115
How many subjects refused to administer shocks beyond 300V?
5
116
How many subjects refused to administer shocks beyond 315V?
4
117
How many subjects refused to administer shocks beyond 330V?
2
118
How many subjects broke off the experiment at 345V?
1
119
How many subjects broke off the experiment at 360V?
1
120
How many subjects broke off the experiment at 375V?
1
121
How many subjects were obedient throughout?
26
122
What did participant *0124* remark at the point of breakout?
"I think he's trying to communicate, he's knocking. . . . Well it's not fair to shock the guy . . . these are terrific volts. I don't think this is very humane. . . . Oh, I can't go on with this; no, this isn't right. It's a hell of an experiment. The guy is suffering in there. No, I don't want to go on. This is crazy."
123
What did participant *0123* remark at the point of breakout?
"He's banging in there. I'm gonna chicken out. I'd like to continue, but I can't do that to a man. . . . I'm sorry I can't do that to a man. I'll hurt his heart. You take your check. . . . No really, I couldn't do it."
124
In what ways did the defiant participants defy?
- Highly agitated state
- Angered state
- Sometimes verbal protest was at a minimum but he simply got up from his chair in front of the shock generator and indicated that he wished to leave the laboratory
125
How did obedient participants express themselves?
They often displayed fears similar to the defiers, continuing to administer shocks under extreme stress
126
After the maximum shocks were delivered and the proceedings were halted, describe the signs that many obedient subjects showed
- Heaved sighs of relief
- Mopped their brows
- Rubbed their fingers over their eyes
- Nervously fumbled cigarettes
- Some shook their heads in regret
- Some subjects remained calm throughout the experimnt and displayed only minimum signs of tension from start to end
127
What percentage of subjects were obedient?
65%
128
What percentage of subjects were defiant?
35%
129
What were the two surprise findings from Milgram?
1. The sheer strength of obedient tendencies manifested in the situation
2. The high levels of tension created
130
Why was the strength of obedient tendencies surprising?
- Despite subjects learning from childhood that it is a fundamental breach of moral conduct to hurt someone against their will they abandoned this tenet (and this shown from their remarks)
- Disobeying would bring no material loss to the subjects
131
What two perspectives was the outcome of level of obedience surprising from?
- The preliminary notions' questionaire
- From the people who observed the experiment through one-way mirrors
132
What factors could account for the serious underestimation of obedience from preliminary notions?
The remoteness of the respondents from the actual situation and the difficulty of converying to them the concrete details of the experiment
133
How did observers of the experiment through one-way mirrors underestimate the obedience?
Despite having full accquantance with details of the situations, they often uttered expressions of disbelief upon seeing a subject administer more powerful shocks to the victim
134
What did one observer relate about a businessman's tension in the experiment?
I observed a mature and initially poised businessman enter the laboratory smiling and confident. Within 20 minutes he was reduced to a twitching, stuttering wreck, who was rapidly approaching a
point of nervous collapse. He constantly pulled on his earlobe, and twisted his hands. At one point he pushed his fist into his forehead and muttered: "Oh God, let's stop it." And yet he continued to respond to every word of the experimenter, and obeyed to the end.
135
