1. How could you check whether a study is valid or not?

2. Today’s session You will learn aboutContext Assessing the external validity of psychological studies Triangulation of research findings Milgram’s and related studies of obedience

3. Validity & Triangulation Triangulating means comparing the results of a variety of research studies to see if they all point in the same direction. Where the validity of a study is in doubt, see if the same or similar results were obtained in a study that used a different methodology.

4. Field research Hofling et al (1966) A field study of obedience in a hospital Bickman (1974) A field experiment of obedience on the street

5. When should you use the word ‘however’?

6. Some criticisms of Milgram His study involved a bizarre and un-natural situation. People in real life settings don’t behave like that. He mainly used American men in his research. Other groups wouldn’t behave in the same way.

7. External Validity of Milgram Milgram’s study involved a bizarre task and an artificial situation. People don’t really behave that way in real life. But Hofling et al found that nurses would obey an order to hurt a patient. This shows that authority can make people do bad things But the nurses were only doing their job. They thought it was for the patient’s benefit, and most didn’t notice the incorrect dosage OK, but Bickman (1975) showed that just wearing a uniform increases people’s obedience. That’s what Milgram showed. Criticism…Response…

8. External Validity of Milgram Milgram only used men in his research. That means that we cannot generalise his results to women. We cannot wholly trust his results. But Milgram did a later study with female pps and found that the rate of obedience was 65% - exactly the same as in male samples. Milgram only used 40 Fs – a small sample. Kilham & Mann (1974) found only 16% of Fs obeyed – less than the Ms in their study (40%) That’s a freak finding. The experiment has been done many times, and usually M & F don’t differ, regardless of the culture of the PPs. Criticism…Response…