Milgram Experiment Overview

Questions and Answers

What was the background of the Milgram experiment?

The background of the experiment involved researching justifications for acts of genocide because of World War II and the Holocaust.

What psychology was investigated in the Milgram experiment?

The obedience of participants.

Define Agentic State.

A state of mind where a person allows others to direct their behaviors and shift responsibility for the consequences.

What does Autonomous State refer to?

A state where a person decides and takes responsibility for their own actions. Signup and view all the answers

What was the aim of the Milgram study?

To research how far people would go in obeying instructions that involved harming another person. Signup and view all the answers

What were the participant details of the Milgram study?

All participants were white men from the same area. Signup and view all the answers

What was the sampling method used in the Milgram study?

Volunteers who responded to a newspaper article. Signup and view all the answers

How was the experiment designed?

Milgram varied the basic procedure to identify factors affecting obedience. Signup and view all the answers

What were the key procedures of the Milgram study?

Volunteers were recruited, assigned roles, separated, and instructed to shock a learner for incorrect answers. Signup and view all the answers

What were the results of the Milgram study?

65% of participants continued to the highest level of 450 volts. Signup and view all the answers

What conclusions did Milgram reach from his study?

People obey instructions from authority figures even to harm others, indicating socialization to follow immoral orders. Signup and view all the answers

What is a situational hypothesis according to Milgram?

A theory suggesting that anyone in similar situations to those Germans would have behaved the same way. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the dispositional hypothesis in relation to Milgram's experiment.

It suggests that observed behavior is caused by internal traits rather than situational factors. Signup and view all the answers

The IV of the Milgram experiment was the ______.

prods given by the researcher. Signup and view all the answers

The DV of the Milgram experiment was the ______.

level of obedience. Signup and view all the answers

What were the strengths of the Milgram study?

High level of control and replicability. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Background of the Milgram Experiment

Aimed to investigate justifications for acts of genocide, notably regarding WWII and the Holocaust.

Psychology Investigated

Focused on obedience of participants, examining how far individuals would go when instructed by authority.

Agentic State

A mental state where individuals defer responsibility to authority figures, allowing them to direct actions without personal accountability.

Autonomous State

Represents self-direction and taking responsibility for one's actions, contrasting with the agentic state.

Aim of the Milgram Study

Explored the extent to which people are willing to obey harmful instructions from authority figures, questioning the ease of committing atrocities.

Participant Details

Study included only white male participants, all from the same geographical area.

Sampling Method

Participants were volunteers responding to a newspaper article, indicating a self-selecting sample.

Experiment Design

Varied the procedure to identify factors influencing obedience, measuring responses based on maximum voltage levels administered (65% shocked to 450 volts).

Procedures of the Milgram Study

Volunteers assigned roles through random selection.
Participants operated in separate rooms; "Teacher" administered shocks to "Learner" for wrong answers.
Four standardized prods were used to encourage continued participation.

Results

65% of participants progressed to the maximum shock level of 450 volts, and all went up to at least 300 volts.

Conclusions

People are likely to obey authority figures, even when instructed to harm others, reflecting socialization to follow immoral orders.

Situational Hypothesis

Suggests individuals behave according to their situational context, implying that anyone under similar pressures could comply with harmful commands.

Dispositional Hypothesis

Attributes behavior to internal traits rather than situational factors, indicating a lack of respect for authority as a cause of disobedience.

Independent Variable (IV)

The different "prods" given by the researcher influenced participant behavior.

Dependent Variable (DV)

Level of obedience was measured based on the maximum voltage participants were willing to administer.

Strengths of the Milgram Study

High control over extraneous variables due to laboratory setting, leading to replicability of results under standardized conditions.

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Description

This quiz covers the background and psychological aspects investigated in the Milgram experiment. It explores the motivations behind the study and the significant findings regarding obedience and authority. Test your knowledge on one of psychology's most famous experiments!