Obedience: Milgram’s Research LO: To be able to outline and evaluate Milgram’s experiment DISCUSS: How might these pictures be linked to the topic of OBEDIENCE?

Abu Ghraib abuse

“ I was simply obeying orders”

Holocaust

“ I was simply obeying orders”

Nuremberg Trials

“ I was simply obeying orders”

Lesson Learning Objectives Understand To explain what Obedience is Apply To understand and explain Milgram’s research into Obedience

What is Obedience? Definition Obedience is a type of social influence which causes a person to act in response to an order given by another person. The person who gives the order usually has power or authority.

Blind Obedience Obedience is not necessarily a bad thing. Maintain social order by complying with orders e.g. wearing a school uniform, stopping at a red light. However some obedience can be considered bad because it may harm another person. Blind obedience occurs when we comply with the order of an authority figure without question.

Why do you think we obey authority? Obedience: A form of social influence where a person follows a direct order from somebody in a position of power. So, why do we obey? Human nature – dispositional Experience teaches us authorities are generally trustworthy Do as you’re told Personality/ Upbringing Assume people have more knowledge or expertise Don’t see consequences of actions People dislike confrontation Scared of consequences Rules

Aims of the original study To investigate how far people will be prepared to go in obeying an authority figure NOTE: This is Milgram’s ORIGINAL study (sometimes called the baseline study) to which the variations were compared to. Variations: ARE ON THE SPEC. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhTo3QmB_Yw&NR=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISHeON3AsY0&feature=related

Method…..Sample Sample: Forty men aged 20 to 50 from a range of occupations volunteering to take part in a study of “learning and memory” at Yale University. There are 3 evaluation points to make from the above…..sample, validity and ethics.

Picture of Yale and application form

Method The “teacher” (or participant) is placed in a room with the authority figure The “learner” (or confederate, also refered to as Mr Wallace) is strapped to a chair with wires The authority is made to look superior and legitimate with a white lab coat – represents science.

Method/Procedure The task involved the ‘teacher’ reading out a list of word pairs. The ‘learner’ responded by pressing a switch. Should an incorrect answer be given, the teacher was to administer an electric shock. The teacher was told that the shocks may be painful but would not be harmful (no lasting tissue damage) The teacher could hear the learner’s response, but could not see them (ALTHOUGH VARIATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE HERE – YOU WILL SEE LATER!)

35 Volts- Strong shock 95 Volts- Very strong shock 255 Volts- Intense shock 315 volts- Extreme intensity shock 375 volts- Danger- Severe shock 455 volts- XXX

Learner’s fake response 105 volts- makes a little grunt 120 volts- says the shocks are painful 150 volts- cries out “ get me out of here . I refuse to go on” 180 volts- shouts “ I can’t stand the pain” 270 volts- lets out an agonising scream, complains of a heart condition 300 volts- desperately shouts that he will give no more answers, complains of chest pains. 315 volts- lets out a violent scream. 350 volts- silence

The Orders from Authority ‘Please continue’ or ‘ please go on’ ‘ The experiment requires that you continue’ ‘ It is essential that you continue’ ‘ You have no other choice you must go on”.

What % of Ps stopped below 300 volts? HAVE A GUESS…. What % of Ps stopped below 300 volts? What % of people when commanded to give an electric shock of 300 volts would obey? What % of people when commanded to give an electric shock of 450 volts would obey?

The Results 300 volts- 100% obedience (no one stopped below 300!) Qualitative data was also collected – observations of the Ps e.g. extreme tension, sweating, trembling, stuttering – three even had full blown seizures!

Conclusion – The impact of situational factors Ordinary people are astonishingly obedient to authority when asked to behave in an inhumane way. It is not necessarily evil people who commit evil crimes but ordinary people who are just obeying orders. Crimes against humanity may be the outcome of situational rather than dispositional factors An individuals capacity for making independent decisions is suspended under certain situational constraints – namely, being given an order by an authority figure

Let's see it in action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOYLCy5PVgM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6GxIuljT3w

Lesson Learning Objectives Understand To explain what Obedience is Apply To understand and explain Milgram’s research into Obedience

Learning objectives LO1: To be able to identify the level of obedience for the different variations of Milgram’s experiment. LO2: To be able to describe the different explanations of why people may obey.

Variations to Milgrams study.

Change of venue Experiment moved from prestigious Yale university to rundown office in nearby town

LOWER 47.5%

Increased proximity Teacher and learner in same room

Lower 40%

Physical force Teacher had to force learner’s hand onto the plate to receive electric shock

Lower 30%

Support Teacher given support from two other ‘teachers’ (who were actually confederates) who refuse to obey

Lower 10%

Reduced proximity Experimenter left the room and gave instructions to ‘teacher’ by telephone

Lower 20.5%

Getting someone else to do it! Teacher paired with confederate who threw the switches to give the shock

Higher 92.5%

Original study 65% Limited contract Learner agreed to participate on the condition that ‘you let me out when I say so’ Lower: 40% Increased proximity Teacher and learner in same room Physical force Teacher had to force learner’s hand onto the plate to receive electric shock Lower: 30% Support Lower: 10% Reduced proximity Experimenter left the room and gave instructions to ‘teacher’ by telephone Lower: 20.5% Getting someone else to do it! Teacher paired with confederate who threw the switches to give the shock Higher: 92.5% Change of venue Experiment moved from prestigious Yale university to rundown office in nearby town Lower: 47.5%

What comments can you make about these results? Graph showing obedience levels in Milgram's variations of his baseline study What comments can you make about these results?

Proximity This refers to the physical closeness or distance of an authority figure to the person they are giving an order to. In Milgram’s study, this also refers to the physical closeness of the ‘teacher’ to the learner Original study Variation Teacher and learner were in adjoining rooms Teacher and learner in same room 65% 40%

Proximity Milgram changed the variables in a variety of ways in order to study the effects of proximity One condition required the ‘teacher’ to force the ‘learner’s hand onto an electroshock plate when he refused to answer a question – touch proximity In this condition the obedience rate dropped to 30% In another condition, the experimenter left the room and gave the instructions to the teacher by telephone – remote proximity In this condition the obedience rate dropped to 20.5% The pps in this condition also frequently pretended to give shocks or gave much weaker shocks than they had been ordered to give

Location This refers to the place where an order is issued The relevant factor that influences obedience is the status or prestige associated with the location Original study Variation A prestigious university setting - Yale Changed location to a run-down office down town 65% 47.5%

Uniform People in positions of authority often have a specific outfit that is symbolic of their authority This indicates to the rest of us who is entitled to expect our obedience Original study Variation Experimenter wore a lab coat Role of experimenter carried out by ordinary member of the public (confederate) 65% 20%

Task: using page 109-110 fill in the table Situational factors affecting obedience Proximity of the victim Proximity of the authority figure Authority figure Legitimacy of the context Personal responsibility Support of others

Exam question page 110