Joseph Pugh

12.D

Compare And Contrast Milgrams (1963) Original Study With One Other Study Of Obedience Not Conducted In The USA (12m)
In 1963 Milgram conducted an experiment to attempt to understand why nazi soldiers went through with the heinous acts they did. This experiment is widely know and is considered very controversial. I will be comparing this with another study of obedience similar to milgrams. In the setup of milgrams experiment, The experimenter (E) orders the teacher (T). The subject of the experiment, to give what the latter believes are painfull electric shocks to a learner (L). Who is actually an actor and confederate. The subject believes for every wrong answer the learner was receiving actual electric shocks, Though in reality there was no such punishment. Being separated from the subject, the confederate set up a tape recorder intergrated with the electro shock generator. Which played sounds for each shock level. This experiment was considered very controversial because of the level of deception. The (T) could apply via a newspaper ad which claimed it was a study of learning. It is also said that there was no consent because they were not told the true nature of the experiment. What we are able to learn from this experiment is that due to authority figures and destructive obedience people would administer the full lethal dosage of the shock. An example of destructive obedience is in Guyana in 1978. A religious group leader instructed its member to drink a cordial that would free them. Althought they knew what it would really do, they drank it and left 900 dead. (Article mass suicide). This is what milgrams experiment proves. That while us humans are under an authority figure we would go through with damaging or dangerous acts. Milgrams experiment has Experimental validity because the participants believed that it was real. However it was not ecologicaly valid because it was done under unnatural conditions. Also, Human behaviour would not be natural as it is not normal to give electric shocks in everyday life.; This test did not have population validity as people came from the same area. Peoples views and actions are affected by there culture and where they live in the world. The experiment im going to be comparing is one of the variations. However this test (Meesus & Raajmaker) was done in a whole different setting and was claimed to have no psychological consequences unlike milgrams. This experiment took place in in the work environment so therefore it had more validity and ecologicaly valid the milgrams. People could apply for this experiment by a newspaper ad to be a interviewer. They would then be told to give the subject degrading and insulting comments increasing in their effect.

Joseph Pugh

12.D

This still might cause psychological damage as people may feel easily pressured into doing bad things and remember it. Both tests proved a valid point.The same Point. That when under demand characteristics and an authority figure, everyone is capable of destructive obedience. Bot thests had a full debrief which goes with the guidlines for experiments. One large pro in Meesus and Rajmakers experiment is that they were told about the right to withdraw. However neither were told about the true nature of the experiment. Both tests had high levels of deception.