Obedience: Milgram’s research
A01 - KNOWLEDGE A03 - EVALUATION
Describe and evaluate Milgram’s research into obedience
- Milgram recruited 40 male Ps through - Orne and Holland argued that Ps
newspaper adverts and flyers. The ad behaved the way they did because they
said he was looking for Ps for a study didn't really believe in the set up as they
about memory and Ps recruited were guessed it wasn't real electric shocks. In
aged between 20 and 50 years, and which case Milgram wasn't testing what
their jobs ranged from unskilled to he intended to test, so the study lacked
professional. They were offered $4.50 internal validity, and Gina Perry's recent
to take part, and when Ps arrived at research confirms this. She listened to
Milgram's lab, they were paid the the tapes of Milgram's Ps and reported
money at the outset and there was a that many of them expressed their
rigged draw for their role. A doubts about the shocks. However,
confederate, Mr. Wallace, always ended Sheridan and King conducted a similar
up as the 'learner' while the true P was study where real shocks were given to a
the 'teacher', and there was an puppy. Despite the real shocks, 54% of
'experimenter' dressed in a lab coat, the male student Ps and 100% of the
played by an actor. Ps were told they females delivered what they thought
could leave the study at any time. The was a fatal shock. This suggests that the
learner was strapped in a chair in effects in Milgram's study were genuine
another room and wired with because people behaved the same way
electrodes. The teacher was required to with real shocks and Milgram himself
give the learner an increasing severe reported that 70% of his Ps said they
electric shock each time the learner believed the shocks were genuine.
made a mistake on a learning task. - Milgram's study may at first glance
When the teacher got to 300 volts, the appear to lack external validity as it was
learner pounded on the wall and then conducted in a lab. However, the
gave no response to the next question. central feature of this situation was the
After the 315-volt shock, the learner relationship between the authority
pounded on the wall again but after figure and the P. Milgram argued that
that there was no further response the lab environment accurately
from the learner. When the teacher reflected wider authority relationships
turned to the experimenter for in real life. Hofling et al studied nurses
guidance, the experimenter gave a on a hospital ward and found that levels
standard instruction: 'an absence of of obedience to unjustified demands by
response should be treated as a wrong doctors were very high. This suggests
answer'. If the teacher felt unsure about that the processes of obedience to
continuing, the experimenter used a authority that occurred in Milgram's lab
sequence of 4 standard 'prods'. study can be generalised to other
situations.
- Findings were that no Ps stopped below - 'The game of death' is a replication of
A01 - KNOWLEDGE A03 - EVALUATION
Describe and evaluate Milgram’s research into obedience
- Milgram recruited 40 male Ps through - Orne and Holland argued that Ps
newspaper adverts and flyers. The ad behaved the way they did because they
said he was looking for Ps for a study didn't really believe in the set up as they
about memory and Ps recruited were guessed it wasn't real electric shocks. In
aged between 20 and 50 years, and which case Milgram wasn't testing what
their jobs ranged from unskilled to he intended to test, so the study lacked
professional. They were offered $4.50 internal validity, and Gina Perry's recent
to take part, and when Ps arrived at research confirms this. She listened to
Milgram's lab, they were paid the the tapes of Milgram's Ps and reported
money at the outset and there was a that many of them expressed their
rigged draw for their role. A doubts about the shocks. However,
confederate, Mr. Wallace, always ended Sheridan and King conducted a similar
up as the 'learner' while the true P was study where real shocks were given to a
the 'teacher', and there was an puppy. Despite the real shocks, 54% of
'experimenter' dressed in a lab coat, the male student Ps and 100% of the
played by an actor. Ps were told they females delivered what they thought
could leave the study at any time. The was a fatal shock. This suggests that the
learner was strapped in a chair in effects in Milgram's study were genuine
another room and wired with because people behaved the same way
electrodes. The teacher was required to with real shocks and Milgram himself
give the learner an increasing severe reported that 70% of his Ps said they
electric shock each time the learner believed the shocks were genuine.
made a mistake on a learning task. - Milgram's study may at first glance
When the teacher got to 300 volts, the appear to lack external validity as it was
learner pounded on the wall and then conducted in a lab. However, the
gave no response to the next question. central feature of this situation was the
After the 315-volt shock, the learner relationship between the authority
pounded on the wall again but after figure and the P. Milgram argued that
that there was no further response the lab environment accurately
from the learner. When the teacher reflected wider authority relationships
turned to the experimenter for in real life. Hofling et al studied nurses
guidance, the experimenter gave a on a hospital ward and found that levels
standard instruction: 'an absence of of obedience to unjustified demands by
response should be treated as a wrong doctors were very high. This suggests
answer'. If the teacher felt unsure about that the processes of obedience to
continuing, the experimenter used a authority that occurred in Milgram's lab
sequence of 4 standard 'prods'. study can be generalised to other
situations.
- Findings were that no Ps stopped below - 'The game of death' is a replication of
