Problem 6
1. What were the results of the Milgram experiment and would the result be
different if it were conducted today?
Milgram Experiment (1963)
• Subjects: 40 males
• Subject (teacher), confederate = victim (learner) & experimenter
• Subject did not know that victim was a confederate & thought he had been chosen as learner by
chance
• Subject asked victim questions & wrong answers would result in electric shock caused by the
subject (electric shocks were not real)
• Electric shock increases by the number of wrong answers & range from 15v. (Slight Shock) to
450v. (Severe Shock)
• Confederate started screaming at 300v-level
• Experimenter told subject to go on if he wanted to stop
• Experiment seemed self-assured
• Subject showed symptoms of stress (trembling, groaned bit their lips, dug fingernails into flesh,
seizures) → made sure subjects left experiment in a state of well-being by arranging reconciliation
between confederate & subject
• Results:
o 65 % administered the full 450v.
o Everyone resisted at some point
o No one broke off before 300v. (confederate started screaming at that level)
o No difference between men & women
• Explanations:
o Subject entered the experiment voluntarily → feels obligated to aid the experimenter
o Role of the learner was assigned under fair means (by chance)
→ under conditions of pressure from an authority, the majority of people will obey although they are not force
to
Would the results be different today?
Replicated study by Burger (2009)
• Tested 70 men & women in the U.S.
• 70% were obedient
• With confederate who refused → still 63,3 %
Study by Meeus & Raaijmakers (1995)
• Participants should cause psychological harm by making harassing remarks about confederate
• Told them it was part of a job interview of the confederate
o Confederate needed to pass the test in order to get the job
• Confederate ask participant to stop & became angry & later on despaired
• 92 % of participants continued after experimenter told them to go on
Study by Dolinski et al. (2015)
• Replicated Milgram study but had only 10 different shock steps (10 buttons)
• Conducted study in Poland (interesting to see if history & current political situation had an
impact)
• Wanted to see if the sex of the learner has an impact
o Participants 40 women & 40 men
, • Results:
o 90% pressed all 10 buttons
o When the learner was a women, the participants were 3 times more likely to stop
(sample size is to small to confirm theory)
→ there is no significant difference between today & Milgram’s findings
→ people are still obedient to the same extend
2. When do people decide to obey authorities, what are the causes &
consequences of obedience? (situational & personal factors, the appearance
authoritative figure)
Obedience
• Behaviour change produced by the commands of authority
Factors
• Immediacy of the victim
o How close or obvious is the victim to the participant?
o Milgram trial: confederate was in the same room as subject
§ Obedience dropped to 40%
o Milgram trial: subject set next to the confederate & pressed hand of confederate down
on a shock plate
§ Refused after 150v
§ 30% continued after getting an insulted glove
o Milgram trial: confederate shouts & bangs against the wall
§ Reduced obedience slightly to 62,5 % who obeyed to 450v-level
→ obedience decreases as immediacy increases
→ immediacy prevents dehumanisation of the victim & makes it easier to show empathy
→ social norms become accessible again
• Immediacy of the authority figure
o Milgram trial: experimenter gave instructions over the phone
§ 25 % stopped as soon as confederate requested release (150v)
§ 20% continued to 450v
→ obedience decreases as the authority figure’s influence decreases with distance
→ obedience norm has no influence anymore
• Legitimacy of the authority figure
o Experimenter was wearing lab-coat which made him look professional
o Experimenter seemed self-assured so subject was convinced he knows what he is doing
§ Appearance of the experimenter leads subject to trust his judgment
§ Seventh trial: experiment was moved to an office building (no professional
environment compared to university)
• Obedience dropped to 48%
→ professional appearance & location lets people trust in experimenter’s decisions
o Experiment by Bickman (1974)
§ Stopped pedestrians on the street & ordered them to do something unusual
1. What were the results of the Milgram experiment and would the result be
different if it were conducted today?
Milgram Experiment (1963)
• Subjects: 40 males
• Subject (teacher), confederate = victim (learner) & experimenter
• Subject did not know that victim was a confederate & thought he had been chosen as learner by
chance
• Subject asked victim questions & wrong answers would result in electric shock caused by the
subject (electric shocks were not real)
• Electric shock increases by the number of wrong answers & range from 15v. (Slight Shock) to
450v. (Severe Shock)
• Confederate started screaming at 300v-level
• Experimenter told subject to go on if he wanted to stop
• Experiment seemed self-assured
• Subject showed symptoms of stress (trembling, groaned bit their lips, dug fingernails into flesh,
seizures) → made sure subjects left experiment in a state of well-being by arranging reconciliation
between confederate & subject
• Results:
o 65 % administered the full 450v.
o Everyone resisted at some point
o No one broke off before 300v. (confederate started screaming at that level)
o No difference between men & women
• Explanations:
o Subject entered the experiment voluntarily → feels obligated to aid the experimenter
o Role of the learner was assigned under fair means (by chance)
→ under conditions of pressure from an authority, the majority of people will obey although they are not force
to
Would the results be different today?
Replicated study by Burger (2009)
• Tested 70 men & women in the U.S.
• 70% were obedient
• With confederate who refused → still 63,3 %
Study by Meeus & Raaijmakers (1995)
• Participants should cause psychological harm by making harassing remarks about confederate
• Told them it was part of a job interview of the confederate
o Confederate needed to pass the test in order to get the job
• Confederate ask participant to stop & became angry & later on despaired
• 92 % of participants continued after experimenter told them to go on
Study by Dolinski et al. (2015)
• Replicated Milgram study but had only 10 different shock steps (10 buttons)
• Conducted study in Poland (interesting to see if history & current political situation had an
impact)
• Wanted to see if the sex of the learner has an impact
o Participants 40 women & 40 men
, • Results:
o 90% pressed all 10 buttons
o When the learner was a women, the participants were 3 times more likely to stop
(sample size is to small to confirm theory)
→ there is no significant difference between today & Milgram’s findings
→ people are still obedient to the same extend
2. When do people decide to obey authorities, what are the causes &
consequences of obedience? (situational & personal factors, the appearance
authoritative figure)
Obedience
• Behaviour change produced by the commands of authority
Factors
• Immediacy of the victim
o How close or obvious is the victim to the participant?
o Milgram trial: confederate was in the same room as subject
§ Obedience dropped to 40%
o Milgram trial: subject set next to the confederate & pressed hand of confederate down
on a shock plate
§ Refused after 150v
§ 30% continued after getting an insulted glove
o Milgram trial: confederate shouts & bangs against the wall
§ Reduced obedience slightly to 62,5 % who obeyed to 450v-level
→ obedience decreases as immediacy increases
→ immediacy prevents dehumanisation of the victim & makes it easier to show empathy
→ social norms become accessible again
• Immediacy of the authority figure
o Milgram trial: experimenter gave instructions over the phone
§ 25 % stopped as soon as confederate requested release (150v)
§ 20% continued to 450v
→ obedience decreases as the authority figure’s influence decreases with distance
→ obedience norm has no influence anymore
• Legitimacy of the authority figure
o Experimenter was wearing lab-coat which made him look professional
o Experimenter seemed self-assured so subject was convinced he knows what he is doing
§ Appearance of the experimenter leads subject to trust his judgment
§ Seventh trial: experiment was moved to an office building (no professional
environment compared to university)
• Obedience dropped to 48%
→ professional appearance & location lets people trust in experimenter’s decisions
o Experiment by Bickman (1974)
§ Stopped pedestrians on the street & ordered them to do something unusual
