1. Obedience to Authority: The Stanley Milgram Experiments
Obedience = changing behavior in response to a demand from an authority figure

2. Milgram Obedience Studies
40 male subjects, variety of backgrounds
Told experiment was to study effects of punishment on learning/memory
learn word pairs
Teacher (subject) is to increasingly shock learner for wrong answers
15 volts (“slight shock”) – 450 volts (“XXX”)
Learner (confederate) is strapped into chair, electrodes attached to arms
Not actually being shocked, but teachers don’t know this – pain sounds prerecorded
When teacher would question continuing, experimenter told him he must continue

3. Milgram Obedience Studies

4. Milgram Obedience Studies
Results surprised everyone:
26 out of 40 (65%) went all the way to 450 volts (potentially lethal)
Only 5 stopped before 300 volts
Very stressful for participant – often protested, but still obeyed

5. Milgram Obedience Studies
Conducted a variety of follow-up studies to further understanding of forces influencing obedience:
Experimenter Status & Prestige
When conducted by “private firm” in run-down rented building instead of Yale
Obedience dropped slightly (48%)
Proximity of learner
Obedience dropped when “learner” was close by, in same room
Decreased even more when had to make contact w/ learner (force hand down)
Proximity of authority figure
Obedience decreased greatly when experimenter phoned in directions
Some even tried to deceive the experimenter
Behavior of others
3 teachers in experiment (2 confederates, 1 actual subject)
When other 2 refused to continue, obedience dropped to only 10%

7. Milgram Obedience Studies
Many have questioned the ethics of the study
Milgram defended
Participants were debriefed
Many reported positive experiences
Claimed benefits outweighed any harm
What do you think?
What would you have done?
Obeyed? or resisted?