Milgram’s behavioral study of obedience (1993) set out to test the ‘Germans are different’ Hypothesis
(GADH) that was used by historians to explain the destruction of Jews and poles by the Nazis.on this
aasumption that Milgram expected to collect data in Germany that would support GADH, the 1963 study,
by implication, predicted that there would be very low levels of obedience when American participants
were instructed to deliver increasingly intense electric shocks.
Milgram developed an intimidating shock generator, with shock levels starting at 30 volts all the way up
to 450 volts. The many switches were labeled with terms including "slight shock," "moderate shock"
“intense to extreme shock” "danger: severe shock." And then last …show more content…
As the experiment
progressed, the participant would hear the learner plead to be released or even complain about a heart
condition. Most participants asked the experimenter whether they should continue. The experimenter
issued a series of commands to prod the participant along: "Please continue.", "The experiment requires
that you continue.", "It is absolutely essential that you continue.”,"You have no other choice, you must go
on.”
Many subjects showed signs of tension during the Stanley Milgram Experiment. 3 subjects had “full-
blown, uncontrollable seizures”. Though most subjects weren’t comfortable doing it, all 40 subjects
obeyed up to 300 volts. 25 subjects of the 40 continued to give shocks till the maximum level of 450
volts.
According to Milgram, there are situational factors that can explain such high levels of conformity: The
presence of an authority figure dramatically increased compliance, the fact that the study was sponsored
by Yale (a trusted and authoritative academic institution) led many of the participants to believe that the
experiment must be safe, the segregation to teacher and learner status seemed random, …show more content…
Zimbardo acknowledged the ethical problems with the study, suggesting that
"although we ended the study a week earlier than planned, we did not end it soon enough."
Many critics suggest that the study cannot be generalized because of a variety of factors.
The unrepresentative sample of participants, as they were mostly white and middle class males, makes it
difficult to apply the results to a wider population.
The study is also criticized for a lack of ecological validity. While the researchers did give their best
efforts to recreate an authentic prison setting, it’s simply not possible to perfectly copy all of the
environmental and situational variables of life in prison.
The Stanford Prison Experiment is an important study in our understanding of how situations can
influence human behavior. This study recently garnered attention after reports of the Abu Ghraib prisoner
abuse in became known. Many people, including Zimbardo himself, suggested that the abuses at Abu
Ghraib may be real-world examples of the same results observed in Zimbardo's
(GADH) that was used by historians to explain the destruction of Jews and poles by the Nazis.on this
aasumption that Milgram expected to collect data in Germany that would support GADH, the 1963 study,
by implication, predicted that there would be very low levels of obedience when American participants
were instructed to deliver increasingly intense electric shocks.
Milgram developed an intimidating shock generator, with shock levels starting at 30 volts all the way up
to 450 volts. The many switches were labeled with terms including "slight shock," "moderate shock"
“intense to extreme shock” "danger: severe shock." And then last …show more content…
As the experiment
progressed, the participant would hear the learner plead to be released or even complain about a heart
condition. Most participants asked the experimenter whether they should continue. The experimenter
issued a series of commands to prod the participant along: "Please continue.", "The experiment requires
that you continue.", "It is absolutely essential that you continue.”,"You have no other choice, you must go
on.”
Many subjects showed signs of tension during the Stanley Milgram Experiment. 3 subjects had “full-
blown, uncontrollable seizures”. Though most subjects weren’t comfortable doing it, all 40 subjects
obeyed up to 300 volts. 25 subjects of the 40 continued to give shocks till the maximum level of 450
volts.
According to Milgram, there are situational factors that can explain such high levels of conformity: The
presence of an authority figure dramatically increased compliance, the fact that the study was sponsored
by Yale (a trusted and authoritative academic institution) led many of the participants to believe that the
experiment must be safe, the segregation to teacher and learner status seemed random, …show more content…
Zimbardo acknowledged the ethical problems with the study, suggesting that
"although we ended the study a week earlier than planned, we did not end it soon enough."
Many critics suggest that the study cannot be generalized because of a variety of factors.
The unrepresentative sample of participants, as they were mostly white and middle class males, makes it
difficult to apply the results to a wider population.
The study is also criticized for a lack of ecological validity. While the researchers did give their best
efforts to recreate an authentic prison setting, it’s simply not possible to perfectly copy all of the
environmental and situational variables of life in prison.
The Stanford Prison Experiment is an important study in our understanding of how situations can
influence human behavior. This study recently garnered attention after reports of the Abu Ghraib prisoner
abuse in became known. Many people, including Zimbardo himself, suggested that the abuses at Abu
Ghraib may be real-world examples of the same results observed in Zimbardo's