sociology

Running Head: Milgram Article Assignment

Milgram Article Assignment

SOC-1010-DL12-Intro to Sociology

Oluchi Paul

5/26/2020

The Milgram Experiment was named after a Psychologist named Mr. Stanley Milgram. In 1963 at Yale University Mr. Milgram conducted an experiment that focused entirely on the conflict that existed between obedience to authority and one’s personal conscience. He decided to study and research the affects that came from genocide by the accused parties at the WWII, Nuremberg War Criminal trials. Individuals stated that they were simply ordered to follow the instructions of their head leadership in the military. Milgram utilized punishment and he would increase the level of it by shock waves he administered through shock. The levels ranged from slight shock to danger that was sever shock. This was a form of a behavioral study on obedience.

Variables

The primary dependent variable consisting of maximum level shock the S is willing to administer or the compliance which was the punishment that took place. The primary independent variable consisted of the response the learner had to the fake shock. The secondary dependent variable degree of obedience that made the subject react to shocking the learner, and the secondary independent variable was the closeness of the experimenter and the instructions being given.

Control and Experimental Groups

Milgram had two groups that consisted of the Control and Experimental group. The Control was initially the group exposed to the experiment, and was evaluated for the effect of the treatment. The actor or learner was a gentleman age 47 who in real life appeared to be an accountant by trade. The gentlemen playing the experimenter was 31 years old who dressed in lab attire. They also appeared to have behavior that presented consistent during the whole experiment. The Experimental group was the one exposed to the treatment. These individuals consisted of 40 gentlemen whose ages ranged from early 20’s to early 50’s. The men were from the New Haven geographical area, and had different career types and levels. They were selected each from the newspaper through an ad.

Study

The experiment was a blind or single blinded study based on controlled group (experimenters) and (learners) were made aware and weren’t the affected group, and the individuals that were the experimental group who didn’t know what was going on and were affected by shock. They only were aware of the fact they were part of the experimental.

Summary

In conclusion Milgram was able to keep the contents of his experiment ethical by telling the subjects. This consisted of the post-experimental explanation of the study, that gave the understanding of what was the point of the experiment study, and the reason for the deceptions to protect the experiment.

References

The Real World: An Introduction to Sociology, Kerry Ferris and Jill Stein, 6th or 7th edition, ISBN Number 978-0-393-26430-2

Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral Study of obedience. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67 (4), 371-378. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0040525

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