1. Obedience to Authority: The Stanley Milgram Experiments Mr. Koch AP Psychology Forest Lake High School 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. 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?