Milgram's Studies into Obidience to Authority

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  • Milgram

Origional Study (1974)

Aim: To investigate the effects of obedience to authority.


  • Milgram advertised in a newpaper, offering money for people to take part in a supposed "learning experiment". Participants were told that even if they left the experiment they could still keep the money.
  • 40 Participants were assigned the role of "teacher" and had to administer corrective shocks to the "learner" (who was actually a confederate of the examiner) when they got an answer wrong.
  • The volts ranged from 15 (marked at slight shock) to 450 (marked as danger severe shock).  The shock administered by the "teacher" was raised 15v each time.
  • The experimenter pressures the "teacher" to continue the experiment as the "learner" protests more and more and eventually stops responding.
  • The experimenter says things such as "it is essential that you continue with the experiment".
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  • Milgram asked yale psychology students to make a prediciton as to how many participants would be willing




Very thorugh

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