Algor Cards

The Obedience Experiment of Stanley Milgram

Concept Map

Algorino

Edit available

Stanley Milgram's obedience experiment, conducted in the 1960s, sought to understand human compliance with authority figures. It revealed that ordinary people could obey orders to inflict pain on others, with 65% of participants delivering the maximum shocks. The study sparked ethical debates and influenced psychological research guidelines.

Origins of Milgram's Obedience Experiment

The origins of Stanley Milgram's obedience experiment can be traced back to the post-World War II period, particularly the trial of Adolf Eichmann, an SS officer who defended his actions by claiming he was simply following orders. Milgram, a psychologist, was driven by the question of whether this defense indicated a common human tendency to obey authority figures, even to the point of committing atrocities. In 1961, he devised an experiment to investigate the limits of obedience to authority and to determine if this was a characteristic unique to the German people or a more universal human behavior.
Laboratory with vintage electric shock generator for Milgram experiment, hand over gradient switches, chair with straps in blurred background.

Objectives and Design of Milgram's Experiment

The primary objective of Milgram's experiment was to examine the extent to which individuals would comply with an authority figure's instructions to perform actions that conflicted with their personal conscience. The study involved forty male participants from diverse backgrounds, who were recruited through newspaper ads and believed they were participating in a study on learning and memory at Yale University. They were assigned the role of 'teacher' and were instructed to administer increasingly severe electric shocks to a 'learner' for each incorrect response in a memory task. Unbeknownst to the participants, the shocks were simulated, and the 'learner' was an actor, part of the experimental setup.

Show More

Want to create maps from your material?

Enter text, upload a photo, or audio to Algor. In a few seconds, Algorino will transform it into a conceptual map, summary, and much more!

Learn with Algor Education flashcards

Click on each Card to learn more about the topic

00

In ______, Milgram began a study to explore if obedience to authority was a ______ human trait.

1961

universal

01

Milgram Experiment Participants

40 male volunteers from diverse jobs and educational levels, recruited via newspaper ads.

02

Milgram Experiment Roles

Participants assigned 'teacher' role; 'learner' was an actor, part of the setup.

Q&A

Here's a list of frequently asked questions on this topic

Can't find what you were looking for?

Search for a topic by entering a phrase or keyword