1. Milgram A behavioural study of obedience (1963)

2. Obedience What do you think is meant by the term obedience? What do you think is meant by the term obedience? In nearly all societies certain people are given more power and authority over others. Obedience is doing what someone else tells us to: usually with someone in authority!

3. Obedience Most of the time this does not cause any problems. Most of the time this does not cause any problems.

4. 1933: Born in New York City. Middle of 3 children 1954: graduated with a political science degree 1960: graduated from Harvard with a Ph.D. 1984: died of a heart attack age 51. 1963: conducted Psychology’s most controversial study

5. Milgram (1963) Between 1939-1945 millions of innocent people were slaughtered in Nazi Concentration camps Between 1939-1945 millions of innocent people were slaughtered in Nazi Concentration camps Milgram was originally trying to test the hypothesis that “Germans are different” to explain the atrocities of World War II Milgram was originally trying to test the hypothesis that “Germans are different” to explain the atrocities of World War II He intended to take the experiment to Germany and the original study was only intended as a pilot He intended to take the experiment to Germany and the original study was only intended as a pilot The results however made the Germany study unnecessary as the “Germans are different” hypothesis is untrue The results however made the Germany study unnecessary as the “Germans are different” hypothesis is untrue

6. Procedure of the study Milgram selected participants by advertising for males between 20 and 50 years of age to take part in a study of learning at Yale University. Milgram selected participants by advertising for males between 20 and 50 years of age to take part in a study of learning at Yale University.

7. Milgram

8. Procedures 40 P’s were used. Upon arrival the P’s were greeted by a young man in a white lab coat, who introduced himself as Jack Williams – the experimenter. 40 P’s were used. Upon arrival the P’s were greeted by a young man in a white lab coat, who introduced himself as Jack Williams – the experimenter. Another man, in his late fifties, introduced as Mr Wallace – another participant. Another man, in his late fifties, introduced as Mr Wallace – another participant. Mr Wallace however, was an actor (a confederate) and the whole experiment from this point on had been carefully scripted and planned. Mr Wallace however, was an actor (a confederate) and the whole experiment from this point on had been carefully scripted and planned.

9. Procedure… Participant was paired with another person and they drew lots to find out who would be the learner and who would be the teacher: Participant was paired with another person and they drew lots to find out who would be the learner and who would be the teacher: BUT all lots said teacher as the learner was a confederate i.e. working for the experimenter. BUT all lots said teacher as the learner was a confederate i.e. working for the experimenter.

10. Procedure… The experimenter took the teacher and learner to adjacent rooms. The experimenter took the teacher and learner to adjacent rooms.

11. Procedure… Learner was trapped to into a chair and electrodes attached to his arms. Learner was trapped to into a chair and electrodes attached to his arms.

12. Procedure… Teacher and the experimenter went into adjoining room which contained a shock generator with a row of switchers marked from 15 volts to 450 volts Teacher and the experimenter went into adjoining room which contained a shock generator with a row of switchers marked from 15 volts to 450 volts

14. Procedure… Participant was instructed to read out word pairs e.g. blue-girl. Participant was instructed to read out word pairs e.g. blue-girl. The learner had to remember these word pairs. The learner had to remember these word pairs. The teacher was told to administer a shock if the learner made a mistake or said nothing. The teacher was told to administer a shock if the learner made a mistake or said nothing. The shocks were increased if errors continued. The shocks were increased if errors continued.

15. Procedure… The learner gave predetermined answers: The learner gave predetermined answers: At 180 volts the learner shouted out in pain At 180 volts the learner shouted out in pain At 300 volts the learner begged to be released At 300 volts the learner begged to be released At 315 volts there was silence. At 315 volts there was silence.

16. The confederates response to the shocks voltage Accomplice response 75grunts 120 shouts in pain 150 says that he refuses to continue with this experiment 200 blood-curdling screams 300 refuses to answer, mumbles something about a heart condition +330silence

17.  As the participant perceives the confederate's pain, his conscience kicks in, and he begins to object to continuing the experiment. The experimenter responds to these objections by using the following prods: objection Experimenter’s response first “Please continue." second "The experiment requires that you continue." third "It is absolutely essential to continue." fourth "You have no choice. You must continue."

18. So… What happened? Milgram predicted that about 2% would go on to the full shock but the majority would refuse. Milgram predicted that about 2% would go on to the full shock but the majority would refuse. How many do you think went up to 300 volts? All How many do you think went up to 450 volts? 65%

19. Despite these findings participants did show considerable stress during the experiment Three had seizures Three had seizures Several challenged the experimenter. Several challenged the experimenter.

20. Conclusions Anybody is capable of going against their conscience and obeying potentially lethal orders against another human being – therefore disproving the Germans are different hypothesis. Anybody is capable of going against their conscience and obeying potentially lethal orders against another human being – therefore disproving the Germans are different hypothesis. Legitimate authority represented through conditions such as Yale University, the lab coat etc that make it more likely that humans will obey orders. Legitimate authority represented through conditions such as Yale University, the lab coat etc that make it more likely that humans will obey orders.

21. Problems with methodology: Orne and Holland (1968): Argue that it was not a test of obedience because participants did not believe what was happening was real. The situation was unrealistic Participants relied on the judgement of the expert: who was the expert in Milgram’s case? The experimenter: when they protested the response was ‘I am responsible for what goes on here’.

22. Problems with methodology: Demand Characteristics: Demand Characteristics: Who were the participants obeying? May not be a display of obedience to authority BUT conformity to experimental expectations. Participants put their trust not obedience to authority. Can you think of any evidence that supports this? Evidence obedience dropped when the experimenter left the room.

23. Ecological Validity? Do you think that the results can be generalised to other situations? Do you think that the results can be generalised to other situations? Holfing et al (1966): investigated a more realistic situation: used 22 Nurses Investigation as to whether nurses would break hospital rules in order to obey a doctor. A bottle of pills : ‘Astrogen’ Usual dose: 5 mg. Maximum daily dose: 10 mg.

24. Holfing et al (1966): The nurse was called by a doctor asking to give her patient 20 mg of Astrogen straight away. The nurse was called by a doctor asking to give her patient 20 mg of Astrogen straight away. He said he was in a hurry and wanted the drug to take instant effect, and would sign the drug authorisation in 10 minutes time. He said he was in a hurry and wanted the drug to take instant effect, and would sign the drug authorisation in 10 minutes time.

25. Holfing et al (1966): These instructions broke the following hospital rules: 1. Nurses only give drugs after written submission 2. Nurses only take instructions from people they know 3. Maximum dosage should not be exceeded. exceeded.

26. Holfing et al (1966): How many nurses do you think obeyed? 21 out of 22 nurses obeyed! Why do you think the obedience rate was so high? The nurses explained their actions by informing that doctors frequently would phone instructions to them. Half said that they did not notice the dosage.

27. Rank and Jacobson (1977) Used a similar procedure Used a similar procedure How many out of 18 nurses do you think obeyed? Only 2 out of the 18 obeyed. Why do you think there was a lower rate of obedience in this study? Possibly due to the familiarity of the drug.

28. Factors that affect obedience Authority: Who was the authoritative figure in Milgram’s experiment? Authority: Who was the authoritative figure in Milgram’s experiment? Participants felt the experimenter: was responsible and not them. “I am responsible for what goes on here” When participants protested the experimenter told them The experimenter wore a white lab coat, what do you think this suggests?

29. Factors that affect obedience Prestige: Where was the study conducted? Where was the study conducted? If the same study was conducted in a run down office building do you think the results would be different? If the same study was conducted in a run down office building do you think the results would be different? Found that fewer participants gave the maximum shock

30. Factors that affect obedience Personal Responsibility: What do you think would happen if the teacher had to put the learners hand on the electric plate? What do you think would happen if the teacher had to put the learners hand on the electric plate? Obedience dropped to 30%. What do you think would happen if the participant instructed an assistant to press the switch? 95% instructed to the maximum shock because of diffusion of responsibility

31. Factors that affect obedience Disobedient Models: Obedience dropped to 10% What do you think that would happen in the situation when participants were one of three teachers’ and the others refused to give the shock? What do you think that would happen in the situation when participants were one of three teachers’ and the others refused to give the shock?

32. Factors that affect obedience Buffers: This is anything that prevents the person being aware of the full impact of their actions. Can you think of anything that would be an example of a buffer in the Milgram study? What would happen if the learner was in the same room as the teacher? Obedience dropped to 40%

33. Factors that affect obedience Experimenter present: What do you think would happen to the obedience rate if the experimenter left the room? The obedience dropped to 20%