Milgram: Electric Shock Study

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Milgram's Electric Shock Study.

Procedure:

40 men

Leaner (Confederate)

Teacher (Participant)

Experimenter (Confederate)

450 volts max

Teacher gives leaner 'shock' for every incorrect answer

If teacher refuses they are prompted by the experimenter to continue; 'please continue', 'it's crucial that you continue', ' you must continue', 'you have no choice but to continue'.

Findings:

65% of participants (teachers) gave the max of 450 volts shock.

A high amount of participants when up to around 300 volts.

Conclusion:

Behavior is Situational rather than dispositional.

Not always evil people who commit crimes, 'normal people' have the ability to commit crimes too.

Other Situational Versions of Milgrams experiment:

Office - 48% max shock

Ordinary person as Experimenter - 18% max shock

Experimenter in another room - 20% max shock

Leaner and Teacher in the same room - 40% max shock

Teacher forces Learners hand onto shock plate - 30% max shock

2 other Teachers (confederates) rebel - 10% max shock

Other Teacher (confederate) gives the shock instead - 93% max shock

What these variations show about obedience:

Proximity - The closer the participant (teacher) was to the experimenter, the more likely they are to give the max shock of 450 volts.

The closer the participant (teacher was to the learner, the least likely they are to give the max shock.

e.g. In Separate Rooms from Experimenter - 20%

Location - If the location is more formal, the more likely participants are to give the max shock voltage, vice versa for an informal setting.

e.g. Office Block - 48%

Uniform - A person who looks as if they have less authority the less likely participants were to give the max shock voltage.

e.g. Ordinary Person - 18%