1. AS Psychology: Social Influence 3 – Obedience to Authority and Ethical Issues in Research S.W.G.S. Psychology Department

2. Obedience to Authority …..performance of an action in response to an order, usually from someone of high status or authority.

3. Milgram’s Study on Obedience to Authority Investigated how far participants would go when commanded to inflict pain on another person Participants had to deliver “electric shocks” as part of a fake experiment on punishment and learning staged at Yale University

4. Milgram’s Experiment

5. Milgram’s Findings Participants obeyed far more than anticipated - 26 out of 40 (65%) continued to highest shock level (450v – extremely dangerous) All participants continued to 300v (severe shock)

6. Milgram contd……………….. Milgram aimed to test the “Germans are different” hypothesis which followed the atrocities of World War II What conclusion would you draw from his findings?

7. Ethical Issues in Milgram’s Study 1.List the possible effects of Milgram’s experiment on his participants 2.Look at current BPS guidelines for research with human participants. Which did Milgram’s experiment contravene? 3.Could Milgram have investigated the same question in a more ethical way? HOW?

8. Ethical Issues…………. All things considered, do you think Milgram’s experiment was justified ? List the arguments for and against. Yes - justified No - not justified