Milgram Experiment
Who was Stanley Milgram?
A psychologist best known for the Milgram Experiment. He was interested in the idea of authority and obedience.
When does the conflict between conscience and authority come in?
After the shocks reach 70 volts, the L grunts, after 150 volts, he demands to be released from the experiment. The experimenter then tells the teacher that 'the experiment must continue'. The teacher has to decide between obeying the obvious authority of the experimenter or listening to his conscience that he is hurting the learner.
What was the Milgram Experiment designed to do?
An experiment that Stanley Milgram designed to see what people would do when forced between obeying authority and listening to their conscience and morals.
How was the experiment set up?
An experimenter would sit at a desk at the back of the room, the teacher would sit at a desk with a shock generator on it, which he believed was connected to the learner who was situated in another room.
What three (3) people did the experiment consist of?
Experimenter, teacher and learner.
What was the range of shocks?
From 14 to 450 volts.
Who was the first person to say no to the experimenter?
Gretchen Brandt. She went until 210 volts and then told the experimenter that she couldn't continue. After telling her that she must, Brandt talks of free will and how she did not want to be responsible for anything that happened to him. The experiment was terminated.
Why did he make the experiment?
It was in response to the Nazi trials. Many people told the courts that they were not guilty because they were 'following orders'. Many people say that they would never hurt anyone if they didn't have to. Milgram wanted to make an experiment that would test these so-called morals of American society.
What made most people go all the way to the end?
Most people didn't go all the way, until they were assured that they were not going to be held responsible for anything that happened to the learner.
Were the predictions correct?
NOOOOO! Out of 40, 25 went all the way to the end. This was about 60% that fully obeyed the experimenters authority.
Who was Prozi?
One of the subjects that went all the way. However, while he was administering the shocks, he was pleading with the experimenter to check in on the learner and make sure he was okay. Even after the experimenter didn't do so, he continued. He even started to get annoyed at the learner!
What were some of the peculiar reactions?
People would giggle, because they were nervous.
What did Milgram and other psychologists predict?
That most would not go past 150 volts. They expected that only 4% would reach 300 volts. They thought that someone would only go all the way to the end if they were a pathological figure of 1 in 1000. ;
There was a variation of the experiment that was conducted which allowed the teacher to choose whatever shock they wanted to punish the learner. What were the findings?
The average shock was less than 60 volts. 3 out of 40 stayed on the lowest level the entire time, 28 no higher than 75 volts, and 38 did not go beyond 150. However 2 subjects did go up to 325 and 450 volts!
Criticisms were made that the experiment wasn't carried out on 'normal' people. After Milgram tested on 'normal' people, what were the findings?
The same. Milgram even tested different ages, genders, jobs and statuses (rich / poor).
What were the teachers instructed to do?
They were instructed by the experimenter to read word pairs out to the L through a speaker. Then they would say the first word out of the pair followed by four words, one of which is the correct word. The L then has to choose which one is the right word. If the L gets it wrong, the T has to administer a shock, which increases every time.
What were the teachers told the experiment was about?
They were told that the experiment was about the effects of punishment of learning.
