The MILGRAM Experiment

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The MILGRAM Experiment

• Molly Marshall

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Milgram's Question ...

• Why do we obey authority?
• What conditions foster obedience?
• What conditions foster independent behaviour?

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Milgrams method

• A LAB experiment at YALE University
• A self selecting sample
• (answered advertisements)
• 20 - 50 year old men
• They were paid 4 for one hour

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The Procedure

• The participant was paired with a colleague of
  Milgram (the stooge)
• Thought they were taking part in an experiment
  on Memory / Learning
• Electric Shock machine
• slight/severe/danger severe shock
• Volts ranged between 15 - 450 volts

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The Procedure

• The participant (teacher) given a mild electric
  shock
• Then stooge wired up to the electric shock
  machine in next room
• The experiment began

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The TASK

• Teacher read series of word pairs
• e.g. blue sky, green grass, red balloon
• Learner had to memorise these
• Teacher then reads out one word
• e.g. Green ..
• Learner to respond with the pair match

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If a mistake was made

• Teacher told to give electric shock to learner
• Rising by 15 volts each mistake from 15 volts
  to 450 volts

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What happened?

• The participants shook, trembled, and sweated
• They were pressed to continue
• You must go on
• The experiment is important
• Please continue

FOR MORE INFO...
Read this up in any general text e.g. R Gross,
The Science of Mind Behaviour
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What happened?

• The learner shouted and yelled
• He could be heard through the wall
• He remained silent after 300 volts

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How many went to 450 volts?

• 65 of participants went to 450 volts!
• They would have followed orders
• and
• Killed the stooge for making too many mistakes!

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Remembering Methodology .

• What was the dependent variable?
• The DV
• The level of shock the participant stopped at!

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Was this experiment ethical?

• What do you think?
• IF YOU WERE A MEMBER OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE
• Would you let Milgram do it again?

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Did the ends justify the means?

• Was the knowledge gained worth the pain of the
  participants?
• How can we decide this question?