1

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

2

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”

3

Stanley Milgram’s Studies

Teacher to another room with experimenter

Shock generator panel – 15 to 450 volts, labels “slight shock” to “XXX”

Asked to give higher shocks for every mistake learner makes

4

Stanley Milgram’s Studies

1234

5678

9101112

13141516

ShockLevel

Switch Labelsand Voltage Levels

17181920

21222324

25262728

2930

ShockLevel

Switch Labelsand Voltage Levels

“Slight Shock”15304560

“Moderate Shock”7590105120

“Strong Shock”135150165180

“Very Strong Shock”195210225240

“Intense Shock”255270285300

“Extreme Intensity Shock”315330345360

“Danger: Severe Shock”375390405420

“XXX”435450

5

Stanley Milgram’s Studies

Learner protests more and more as shock increases

Experimenter continues to request obedience even if teacher balks

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 absolutelyrefuse 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…”

6

Obedience

How many people would go to the highest shock level?

65% of the subjects went to the end, even those that protested

7

Obedience

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

Slight(15-60)

Moderate(75-120)

Strong(135-180)

Verystrong

(195-240)

Intense(255-300)

Extremeintensity(315-360)

Danger:severe

(375-420)

XXX(435-450)

Shock levels in works

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

sub

jec

ts

wh

o o

be

yed

exp

eri

me

nte

r

8

Explanations for Milgram’s Results

Abnormal group of subjects? numerous replications with variety of

groups shows no supportPeople in general are sadistic?

videotapes of Milgram’s subjects show extreme distress

9

Explanations for Milgram’s Results

Authority of Yale and value of scienceExperimenter self-assurance and

acceptance of responsibilityProximity of learner and experimenterNew situation and no model of how to

behave

10Percentage of subjects administering

the maximum shock (450 volts)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Follow-Up Studies to Milgram Original study

Different building

Teacher with learner

Put hand on shock

Orders by phone

Ordinary man orders

2 teachers rebel

Teacher chooses shock level

11

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?