Milgram Past Paper
Milgram (1963) Past-paper Questions
1. In the Milgram study on obedience, the subjects were observed to show a lot of tension.
a. Give one example of the behaviour of the subjects that indicated extreme tension. (2)
Any one from: Fidgeting, agitation, asking if learner was being harmed, trying to stop, pausing.
b. Milgram suggested that the tension was caused by the conflicts produced by the study. Outline one of these conflicts. (2)
One conflict is between feeling the need to be obedient to authority against showing compassion for a person/ not wanting to harm a person.
2.a. In the study by Milgram on obedience, how were the subjects recruited? (2)
By an ad in the paper and direct mail asking for volunteers.
b. Outline one advantage of recruiting subjects in this way. (2)
You can get a sample that is a mixture of people from different walks of life, not just say, students if you’d advertised at a university. Or .. you can get a lot of people fairly quickly
3. Milgram’s study on obedience is often criticised for being unethical, though Milgram himself made a robust defence of it. Give two examples of how the ethics of this study can be defended. (4)
Two from:….
To some extent the ends justify the means. The value of what we gain from the insight into human nature outweighs the slight discomfort of the participants.
The participants were debriefed so that they could feel comfortable that no harm had been done and that most others had acted in the same way. The participants were allowed to withdraw at any time and had even been paid at the beginning to facilitate this contingency.
4. The level of obedience in the Milgram study was a surprise to the researchers. Give four factors that were thought to contribute to this high level of obedience. (4) The prestige of the university.
The professional appearance of the
1. In the Milgram study on obedience, the subjects were observed to show a lot of tension.
a. Give one example of the behaviour of the subjects that indicated extreme tension. (2)
Any one from: Fidgeting, agitation, asking if learner was being harmed, trying to stop, pausing.
b. Milgram suggested that the tension was caused by the conflicts produced by the study. Outline one of these conflicts. (2)
One conflict is between feeling the need to be obedient to authority against showing compassion for a person/ not wanting to harm a person.
2.a. In the study by Milgram on obedience, how were the subjects recruited? (2)
By an ad in the paper and direct mail asking for volunteers.
b. Outline one advantage of recruiting subjects in this way. (2)
You can get a sample that is a mixture of people from different walks of life, not just say, students if you’d advertised at a university. Or .. you can get a lot of people fairly quickly
3. Milgram’s study on obedience is often criticised for being unethical, though Milgram himself made a robust defence of it. Give two examples of how the ethics of this study can be defended. (4)
Two from:….
To some extent the ends justify the means. The value of what we gain from the insight into human nature outweighs the slight discomfort of the participants.
The participants were debriefed so that they could feel comfortable that no harm had been done and that most others had acted in the same way. The participants were allowed to withdraw at any time and had even been paid at the beginning to facilitate this contingency.
4. The level of obedience in the Milgram study was a surprise to the researchers. Give four factors that were thought to contribute to this high level of obedience. (4) The prestige of the university.
The professional appearance of the