Milgram

Question 1

what was the question of the study?

Answer 1

Would ordinary people hurt others if told to do so by an authority figure?

Question 2

what were Milgram’s results

Answer 2

65% of people went to danger 450 volts

Question 3

why did the results occur?

Answer 3

1. Responsibility was transferred to experimenter = legitimate authority figure
2. Participants began w small punishments and progressed to larger ones
3. Social identity: people identify w experimenter
4. Experimenters directness, legitimacy and consistency

Question 4

Factors that influence obedience

Answer 4

1. Remoteness of the victim
2. Closeness and legitimacy of authority figure
3. Diffusion of Responsibility
4. Characteristics of the participants?

Question 5

Remoteness of Victim

Answer 5

Obedience was greatest when learner is out of sight.

• teacher/learner in same room = 40% obedience
• teacher had to make contact w learner = 30% obedience

Question 6

Closeness and Legitimacy of the authority figure

Answer 6

Obedience is greatest when the authority figure was close and perceived as legitimate

• when authority figure left room/ orders by phone or ordinary participants gave orders = 20% obedience

Question 7

Diffusion of Responsibility

Answer 7

• when another person gave shock and real participant performed lesser role = 93% obedience
• when made to feel fully responsible or give shocks to close relatives =0% obedience
• when in groups and other group members want to stop = 10% obedience

Question 8

Characteristics of the Teachers

Answer 8

• women obey just as much as men
• Authoritarians obey more
• if people identify w the victim, less likely to obey