Purpose and Inspiration

The Milgram experiment sought to understand the willingness of individuals to obey authority figures, inspired by the atrocities of the Holocaust and the Nuremberg trials

Experimental Procedure

Electric Shocks and Learner

Participants were instructed to administer electric shocks to a "learner" for incorrect responses, unaware that the learner was an actor and no real shocks were given

Results and Implications

The study revealed a high proportion of participants were willing to administer potentially lethal shocks when prompted by an authoritative experimenter, challenging the idea that only certain individuals are capable of committing acts of cruelty

Ethical Concerns

Informed Consent and Deception

Participants were misled about the true purpose of the experiment, raising concerns about informed consent

Emotional Distress and Right to Withdraw

Many participants experienced emotional distress and had difficulty withdrawing from the study, highlighting the importance of ethical guidelines in psychological research

Purpose and Design

The Bocchiaro study examined obedience, disobedience, and whistleblowing in the context of an unethical request in a sensory deprivation study

Results and Implications

Despite predicting disobedience or whistleblowing, the majority of participants complied with the unethical request, revealing a significant gap between anticipated and actual behavior in the presence of perceived authority

Limitations

The use of a student sample may limit the generalizability of the study's findings

Purpose and Modifications

Burger's study sought to replicate Milgram's findings while adhering to modern ethical standards, including stopping the administration of shocks at 150 volts and explicitly informing participants of their right to withdraw

Assessment of Dispositional Factors

The study found that dispositional factors, such as empathy and locus of control, did not significantly influence obedience to authority

Validity and Robustness of Milgram's Results

Burger's study supports Milgram's original conclusions, showing that the tendency to obey authority persists even with ethical constraints and a modern sample

Ethical Standards and Methodological Sophistication

The progression of obedience research from Milgram's era to contemporary times highlights the development of ethical standards and methodological sophistication

Insights from Classic and Contemporary Studies

Both classic and contemporary studies provide valuable insights into the nature of obedience, with newer research refining and extending the knowledge base established by earlier experiments