key term - Milgram's Obedience Experiment

Definition

Milgram's obedience experiment was a series of studies conducted by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s that examined the extent to which people would obey authority figures and inflict harm on others. The experiment revealed the surprising degree to which ordinary people would comply with instructions to administer what they believed were severe and potentially lethal electric shocks to a stranger.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Milgram's experiment was designed to explore the human tendency to obey authority figures, even when their instructions conflict with personal moral beliefs.
2. Participants were instructed by an experimenter to administer what they believed were increasingly powerful electric shocks to a learner, who was actually an actor pretending to be in pain.
3. Despite their own discomfort, the majority of participants continued to obey the experimenter's instructions and administer the shocks, even when the learner appeared to be in severe distress.
4. Milgram's findings challenged the widely held belief that people would not obey authority figures if their instructions were unethical or harmful.
5. The experiment has been widely criticized for its deception and potential psychological harm to participants, leading to significant changes in research ethics guidelines.

Review Questions

• Explain how Milgram's obedience experiment relates to the concept of conformity.
  • Milgram's obedience experiment demonstrated the powerful influence of conformity on human behavior. Despite their personal discomfort, the majority of participants complied with the experimenter's instructions to administer seemingly harmful shocks, driven by a desire to conform to the perceived authority of the experimenter. This highlights how strong the human tendency is to conform to group norms and authority figures, even when it means going against one's own moral beliefs.
• Analyze the role of compliance in Milgram's obedience experiment and how it relates to the broader concept of obedience.
  • Milgram's experiment illustrates the concept of compliance, where individuals yield to the demands or requests of an authority figure, even when those demands conflict with their personal values or moral standards. This compliance is a key aspect of the broader concept of obedience, which describes the tendency of people to follow the instructions of an authority figure, regardless of the ethical implications. The experiment revealed the surprising extent to which ordinary people would comply with instructions to harm others, simply because they were given by an authority figure.
• Evaluate the ethical considerations and implications of Milgram's obedience experiment, and how it has influenced research ethics guidelines.
  • Milgram's obedience experiment has been widely criticized for its deceptive and potentially harmful nature. The experiment involved deceiving participants and exposing them to significant psychological stress, which raised serious ethical concerns. The experiment's findings challenged the prevailing belief that people would not obey authority figures if their instructions were unethical or harmful, and this revelation has had a profound impact on research ethics guidelines. As a result, modern psychological research must adhere to strict ethical standards, including obtaining informed consent, minimizing harm to participants, and ensuring the protection of vulnerable populations. The legacy of Milgram's experiment has been to heighten awareness of the ethical considerations in conducting research, particularly when exploring sensitive topics related to human behavior and decision-making.

Related terms

Conformity:

The act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group norms, often driven by a desire for social acceptance and belonging.

Compliance:

The act of yielding to a request or demand, often due to social pressure or the perceived authority of the requester.

Obedience:

The act of complying with the instructions or commands of an authority figure, even if those instructions conflict with one's personal beliefs or moral standards.