milgram - evaluation

Question 1

good external validity - Hofling et al (1966)

Answer 1

• Hofling et al (1966) found that levels of obedience in nurses to unjustified demands of doctors were very high (21 out of 22 nurses obeyed)
  ➢ The processes of obedience in Milgram’s study can be generalised

Question 2

Replications have supported Milgram’s findings

Answer 2

• Contestants in a reality TV game show were paid to give (fake) electric shocks when ordered by the presenter
• 80% gave the maximum 450 volts to an apparently unconscious man ➢ This supports Milgram’s conclusions
• finding arent due to special circumstances

Question 3

shocks to a real puppy

Answer 3

Sheridan and king = milgram like study, ppts were delivering real shocks to a puppy in response to an experimenter
54% males and 100% females shocked the puppy
Supports milgrams results = people behaved obediently

Question 4

questions validity - did ppt beleive shocks

Answer 4

➢ The obedience in Milgram’s study might be genuine, 75% of Milgram’s Ps believed the shocks were genuine
- Orne and Holland (1968) suggest Ps guessed that the electric shocks were fake = play acting
- perry confirmed that after listenting to tapes of milgrams ppts and reported that only ½ of them believed shocks were real
- demand characteristics = low in validity

Question 5

ethical issues - decieved, protection from harm

Answer 5

• Ps were deceived that the shocks were real
• protection from harm = signs of distress during the experiment some continued to feel guilty after the experiment
• critics stated that the breaches couldve damaged the reputation of psychology
• do the rewards outweigh costs