Milgram

What was the primary objective of the Milgram experiment?

• To study the effects of punishment on learning

• To understand obedience to authority

• To explore the psychological effects of group pressure

• To investigate the impact of authority on memory

What did Milgram's experiment demonstrate about the power of authority?

• Authority can compel people to commit acts against their personal conscience

• Authority has no significant impact on individual actions

• People inherently resist authoritative commands

• Authority is only effective in a military setting

What ethical issues are most commonly associated with the Milgram experiment?

• Informed consent

• Deception

• Right to withdraw

• Protection from harm

Answer explanation

While the participants did consent to be in a study on memory and learning, they did not give informed consent on administering punishment as part of the study. Participants were also deceived about how they were assigned their role and were not protected from psychological harm. Though they were debriefed afterwards to address the deception, they may have had lasting psychological distress from their own behavior during the study.

What percentage of participants in Milgram's original experiment administered the maximum shock level?

• 25%

• 40%

• 65%

• 80%

Which of the following was NOT true of the sample in Milgram's experiment?

• Participants were between the ages of 20 and 50.

• The participants responded to a newspaper ad or direct mail solicitation.

• The participants' education levels ranged from elementary level to doctorates.

• There were male and female participants.

What was a weakness of the Milgram experiment?

• It has low generalizability.

• It could not be replicated.

• It used too large a sample size.

• It provided too much ethical consideration.

How did the "learner" in the Milgram experiment react to the shocks?

• They showed no reaction.

• They laughed it off.

• They pretended to be in pain.

• They were genuinely in pain.

What was the main finding of Milgram's obedience study?

• People are naturally obedient to authority figures

• People resist authority when it conflicts with personal morals

• Obedience is influenced by group size

• Obedience decreases with increased distance from authority

In Milgram's experiment, what role did the 'teacher' play?

• Administering shocks to the 'learner'

• Observing the 'learner'

• Recording the results

• Supervising the experiment

What was the primary ethical concern raised by Milgram's experiment?

• Lack of informed consent

• Use of deception

• Invasion of privacy

• Lack of confidentiality