Obedience Obedience compliance of person is due to perceived authority of asker request is perceived as a command Milgram interested in unquestioning obedience to orders 1933-1984 This photo of Stanley Milgram was scanned in from the Myers text, NOT on the CD

Stanley Milgram’s Studies Basic study procedure teacher and learner (learner always confederate) watch learner being strapped into chair learner expresses concern over his “heart condition” Photo scanned in from Gray 3e fig 14.8, NOT on CD

Stanley Milgram’s Studies: Procedure Continued Teacher (S) goes to another room with experimenter Shock generator panel – 15 to 450 volts, labels “slight shock” to “XXX” Teacher (S) asked by Experimenter (E) to give higher shocks for every mistake Learner (A) makes Figure adapted from Hockenbury 12.4, was on CD

Stanley Milgram’s Studies Learner protests more and more as shock increases Experimenter continues to request obedience even if teacher balks saying, “The Experiment Requires that you continue.” “You have no other choice, you must continue.” 120 150 300 330 “Ugh! Hey this really hurts.” “Ugh! Experimenter! That’s all. Get me out of here. I told you I had heart trouble. My heart’s starting to bother me now.” (agonized scream) “I absolutely refuse to answer any more. Get me out of here. You can’t hold me here. Get me out.” (intense & prolonged agonized scream) “Let me out of here. Let me out of here. My heart’s bothering me. Let me out, I tell you…” This table was adapted from Hockenbury, Table 12.3 Instructor could also tape the confederate’s responses instead of using this table

Obedience How many people would go to the highest shock level? Two-Thirds (26 out of 40) of the subjects went to the end, even those that protested Those that did stop, not one stopped before the 300-volt level.

Milgram’s Obedience to Authority (Data from Milgram, 1974)

Obedience to Authority Play “Obedience: The Milgram Study” (4:04) Segment #34 from Psychology: The Human Experience. Or Click HERE to view actual video from his original experiment. (5 minutes)

Explanations for Milgram’s Results Abnormal group of subjects? Numerous replications with variety of groups shows no support Milgram’s study has been repeated many times in the United States and other countries with identical results People in general are sadistic? videotapes of Milgram’s subjects show extreme distress

Explanations for Milgram’s Results A previously well-established framework to obey The situation, or context, in which the obedience occurred (Authority of Yale and value of science) New situation and no model of how to behave The gradual, repetitive escalation of the task Experimenter self-assurance and acceptance of responsibility The physical and psychological separation from the learner

Follow-Up Studies to Milgram This figure is adapted from the CD version of figure 12.5 in Hockenbury

Conditions that Decrease the Likelihood of Destructive Obedience Willingness to obey diminishes sharply when the buffers that separate the teacher from the learner are lessened or removed. Obedience decreased when the experimenter left the room and spoke to the subject over the telephone rather than in person. When teachers were allowed to act as their own authority and freely choose the shock level, 95 percent did not venture beyond 150 volts—the first point at which the learner protested People were more likely to defy an authority when they saw others do so

Critiques of Milgram Although 84% later said they were glad to have participated and fewer than 2% said they were sorry, there are still ethical issues Do these experiments really help us understand real-world atrocities?

Were Milgram’s Obedience Experiments Ethical? Attacked for the emotional stress, tension, and loss of dignity experienced by the subjects Milgram suggested that what was disturbing to people were not so much his methods but his results Follow-ups of Milgram’s subjects indicate that a large majority were glad to have taken part in the experiment and had no signs of harm or traumatic reaction

Does this Apply to Today?

Asch, Milgram, and the Real World Being at odds with the majority or with authority figures is very uncomfortable for most people— Enough so that our judgment and perceptions can be distorted and we may act in ways that violate our conscience Each of us does have the capacity to resist group or authority pressure but… Will we do so?

Abu Ghraib Prison: “I was just following orders.”