Social influnece - Milgram's study Flashcards
What does obedience mean ?
It is a form of social influence in which an individual receives a direct order. The person issuing the order is usually a figure of authority.
What type of study was milgrams ?
A baseline study.
What was the aim of this study ? Why did he want to find out ?
He wanted to assess obedience levels. He wanted to find out why German people obeyed Hitler’s order to kill over 6 million jews and others.
How many people took part in the study?
40 man took part In the study and were met up with other participants who were confederates.
Who were the confederates and who was the true participant ?
The confederates was the experimenter and the learner. The true participant was the teacher.
What was the procedure of the study ?
The learner was strapped into a chair and wired up with electrodes. The learner had to remember a pair of words and was asked questions. Every time they got it wrong, the teacher would have to issue a shock by pressing switches on a shock machine. The shocks would increase in 15 volts every time the learner got a question wrong.
Was the shocks real ?
The shocks were fake but the teacher did not know that.
What was the shock levels ?
It went from slight shock which was 15 volts to 450 volts which was the danger shock.
What happened when it went to 300 volts and 315 volts ?
When it went to 300 volts, the learner pounded on the wall and did not respond to the question. When it went to 315 volts he pounded again on wall but went silent for the rest of the procedure.
What was one of the sayings the experimenter said ?
You have no other choice, you must go on.
What was the baseline findings ?
All participants went up to 300 volts
12.5% stopped at 300 volts.
65% continued to the maximum level being 450 volts.
He also collected qualitative data being observations off the teacher’s movements and emotions throughout the procedure.
What was the baseline findings ?
All participants went up to 300 volts
12.5% stopped at 300 volts.
65% continued to the maximum level being 450 volts.
He also collected qualitative data being observations off the teacher’s movements and emotions throughout the procedure.
What did the psychology students predict ?
The psychology students predicted no more than 3% would continue to 450 volts.
What was his conclusion ?
He concluded that German people are not different. The American participants were willing to obey the orders even if it meant harming to other person.
