Baseline study (experiment 5) – 26/40 went up to 450v (65%) 100% went up to 300v mark, 5 refused after this – showing reluctant to disobey experimenter as they were alone in unusual setting & experiment seemed professional.
Telephonic instructions – instructions were given over the phone so ppts couldn’t recognise with authority figure – obedience lvl fell from 65% to 20.5% – shows how physical presence of an authority figure increases obedience. Doesn’t know who’s on the other side.
Run down office: 48% completed the experiment. 2ppts refused to give lowest shock – shows setting affected obedience, in a shabbier room expectations lowered, in a lab scientists are seen as more competent – more likely for obedience.
Ordinary man gives orders: 16/20 did not contribute, only 20% did – people less likely to obey an ordinary person as they are seen as less competent.
Ordinary man, ppt as bystander – When experimenter left the room, a confederate stood up and suggested increasing the voltage – 11/16 (68.75%) stood by, only 5/16 (31.25%) physically tried to stop the stooge. – shows that if it’s an authority figure we become passive to authority but when we are asked by an ordinary man we criticise their judgement.
Telephonic instructions: This variation was less ethical than the original – prior to the original study Milgram did not know so many would show signs of distress & not obey. – when carrying out the variations he had insight to the distress making variation less ethical as he knew the potential harm.
Rundown office: Higher in ecological validity – as took place in a rundown office block – more realistic situation than a prestigious lab in yale uni meaning behaviour is going to be more natural.
Validity may not be as high – the study was still in a set up lad with scientific equipment not true to real life – therefore behaviour may not have been completely normal.
Ordinary man: support from Bickman as in his study had 3 men dress up in sports coat and tie, milkman and a police officer giving one of three orders, to lend someone money for parking metre, pointing to a bad and asking a pedestrian to pick it up & telling someone at the bus stop and telling them the sign says no parking. Showing more likely to obey the police officer than ordinary civilians – supports idea when someone is wearing a uniform obedience is more likely to be due to their perceived authority.
The authority in the situation many not have been reduced at first – the study still shows 20% of the participants are obedient – having another apparent ppt might not have been enough to remove power of the situation.
Ordinary man prt 2 Bystander: internal validity – ppts likely to have believed the set up as they saw the accomplice draw lots, just as the victim did – meaning they are likely to have behaved in a natural way