Stanley Milgram Experiment: Destructive Obedience
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Questions and Answers

What was the primary goal of Stanley Milgram's experiment?

  • To investigate the role of anxiety in decision-making
  • To examine the conflict between obedience to authority and personal morals (correct)
  • To study the effects of punishment on learning
  • To explore the impact of electric shocks on human behavior
  • What percentage of participants administered the maximum 450-volt shock?

  • 65% (correct)
  • 50%
  • 25%
  • 40%
  • What was the role of the actor in the experiment?

  • To receive actual electric shocks
  • To administer electric shocks to the participant
  • To pretend to receive electric shocks (correct)
  • To observe the participant's behavior
  • What was the age range of the participants in the experiment?

    <p>20-50</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the increment in voltage after each incorrect answer?

    <p>15 volts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the key finding of the experiment?

    <p>Obedience to authority can lead individuals to engage in destructive behavior</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the inspiration behind Milgram's experiment?

    <p>The Nazi war crimes and the Holocaust</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the implications of the experiment?

    <p>The importance of critical thinking</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Destructive Obedience: Stanley Milgram Experiment

    Background

    • Conducted by Stanley Milgram in 1961 at Yale University
    • Investigated the conflict between obedience to authority and personal morals
    • Inspired by the Nazi war crimes and the role of obedience in the Holocaust

    Experiment Design

    • 40 male participants, aged 20-50, from various occupations
    • Participants were paired with another person (an actor) and told to administer electric shocks to the other person each time they answered a question incorrectly
    • Participants were told the experiment was to study the effects of punishment on learning
    • The actor was not actually receiving shocks, but pretended to be in pain

    Procedure

    • Participants were instructed to increase the voltage of the shock by 15 volts after each incorrect answer
    • The actor would protest and express pain as the voltage increased
    • Participants were encouraged by the experimenter to continue administering shocks, despite their reservations

    Results

    • 65% of participants administered the maximum 450-volt shock, despite the actor's pleas to stop
    • Many participants showed signs of distress and anxiety, but continued to obey the experimenter's instructions
    • Only 1 participant refused to continue at the 150-volt level

    Key Findings

    • Obedience to authority can lead individuals to engage in destructive behavior
    • People are more likely to obey an authority figure, even if it goes against their personal morals
    • The presence of an authority figure can reduce personal responsibility and increase the likelihood of obedience

    Implications

    • Highlights the dangers of blind obedience and the importance of critical thinking
    • Provides insight into the psychological mechanisms underlying destructive obedience
    • Has implications for our understanding of human behavior in situations like the Holocaust, Abu Ghraib, and other atrocities

    Stanley Milgram Experiment

    Background

    • Conducted in 1961 at Yale University to investigate the conflict between obedience to authority and personal morals
    • Inspired by the Nazi war crimes and the role of obedience in the Holocaust

    Experiment Design

    • 40 male participants, aged 20-50, from various occupations were paired with an actor
    • Participants were told to administer electric shocks to the actor for each incorrect answer, with the goal of studying punishment on learning
    • The actor pretended to receive shocks and expressed pain as voltage increased

    Procedure

    • Participants increased voltage by 15 volts after each incorrect answer
    • Actor protested and expressed pain, while participants were encouraged by the experimenter to continue

    Results

    • 65% of participants administered the maximum 450-volt shock despite the actor's pleas
    • Participants showed signs of distress and anxiety, but continued to obey the experimenter
    • Only 1 participant refused to continue at the 150-volt level

    Key Findings

    • Obedience to authority can lead individuals to engage in destructive behavior
    • People obey authority figures even if it goes against their personal morals
    • Authority figures reduce personal responsibility and increase obedience likelihood

    Implications

    • Highlights the dangers of blind obedience and the importance of critical thinking
    • Provides insight into psychological mechanisms underlying destructive obedience
    • Has implications for understanding human behavior in situations like the Holocaust and Abu Ghraib

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    Explore the famous psychology experiment that investigated the conflict between obedience to authority and personal morals, and its relation to the Holocaust.

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