Obedience is the concept of changing one’s behaviour in order to suit a demand from an authority figure (Kenrick, Neuberg, & Cialdini, 2010) and it is considered to be a strong social influence. Because of this it has been the interest of psychologists decades in the past and it continues to be in the present. Many recent experiments have been carried out (Slater, Antley, Davison, Swapp, Guger, Barker et al., 2006; Dambrun & Vatine, 2010; Burger, 2009; Zeigler-Hill, Southard, Archer & Donohoe, 2013) in order to research the findings of Milgram’s experiments on obedience further. The examined series of famous and controversial research was implemented by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s at Yale University (Slater et al., 2006). Milgram’s experiments
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Before the start of the experiment a Slight shock of 45V is administered to the participant in order to show him what the Learner will be experiencing and to further portray the experiment as authentic (Milgram, 1963). However, the participant is not aware that this will be the only real shock in the experiment. The confederate will not be shocked because he is an actor in the situation (Milgram, 1963). He does act as if being shocked, however. In the Voice Feedback condition the Learner starts to react to the shocks at the 75V point (Milgram, 1965). It is a simple groan at 75V but at 150V he demands to be let out of the experiment (Milgram, 1965). At this point many people want to leave the experiment but the authority figure uses four verbal prods to make them continue with the experiment – to make them obey (Milgram, 1963). The use of the prods begins from the first one and only if the participant is still conflicted does the experimenter use the next prod in the chain. They are as follows: “Please continue”, “The experiment requires that you continue”, “It is absolutely essential that you continue”, “You have no other choice, you must go on”. After the use of all these if a participant still wants to …show more content…
Nevertheless, they are more aware of the potential distress to participants and try to eliminate harmful factors as much as possible. Recent experiments (Slater et al., 2006; Dambrun & Vatine, 2010) have used alternative and modern methods to examine Milgram’s paradigm and different aspects associated with it in a more ethically acceptable manner. Other studies (Burger, 2009; Zeigler-Hill et al., 2013) have tried to replicate the conditions which Milgram observed but with certain safeguards which they implemented for the protection of participants’ well-being. Slater and colleagues (2006) used an IVE in which participants still had to administer shock but to a virtual human being. There were two conditions of the experiment – Visible (VC) and Hidden (HC). In VC people could see and hear the responses of the virtual person to the shocks. Even though it was not a real individual 23 participants still disobeyed and were very psychologically affected. Whereas, in the HC the virtual character is not heard or seen during the shocks. In this condition people were less emotionally affected and yet some still disobeyed (11 participants) (Slater et al., 2006). The study aimed to see if IVE seems realistic enough to people so it can be used in studies of extreme social situation (Slater et al., 2006). Ethical guidelines were considered. Each participant was fully debriefed, there was very
Before the start of the experiment a Slight shock of 45V is administered to the participant in order to show him what the Learner will be experiencing and to further portray the experiment as authentic (Milgram, 1963). However, the participant is not aware that this will be the only real shock in the experiment. The confederate will not be shocked because he is an actor in the situation (Milgram, 1963). He does act as if being shocked, however. In the Voice Feedback condition the Learner starts to react to the shocks at the 75V point (Milgram, 1965). It is a simple groan at 75V but at 150V he demands to be let out of the experiment (Milgram, 1965). At this point many people want to leave the experiment but the authority figure uses four verbal prods to make them continue with the experiment – to make them obey (Milgram, 1963). The use of the prods begins from the first one and only if the participant is still conflicted does the experimenter use the next prod in the chain. They are as follows: “Please continue”, “The experiment requires that you continue”, “It is absolutely essential that you continue”, “You have no other choice, you must go on”. After the use of all these if a participant still wants to …show more content…
Nevertheless, they are more aware of the potential distress to participants and try to eliminate harmful factors as much as possible. Recent experiments (Slater et al., 2006; Dambrun & Vatine, 2010) have used alternative and modern methods to examine Milgram’s paradigm and different aspects associated with it in a more ethically acceptable manner. Other studies (Burger, 2009; Zeigler-Hill et al., 2013) have tried to replicate the conditions which Milgram observed but with certain safeguards which they implemented for the protection of participants’ well-being. Slater and colleagues (2006) used an IVE in which participants still had to administer shock but to a virtual human being. There were two conditions of the experiment – Visible (VC) and Hidden (HC). In VC people could see and hear the responses of the virtual person to the shocks. Even though it was not a real individual 23 participants still disobeyed and were very psychologically affected. Whereas, in the HC the virtual character is not heard or seen during the shocks. In this condition people were less emotionally affected and yet some still disobeyed (11 participants) (Slater et al., 2006). The study aimed to see if IVE seems realistic enough to people so it can be used in studies of extreme social situation (Slater et al., 2006). Ethical guidelines were considered. Each participant was fully debriefed, there was very