Classic Studies in Psychology

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Key Terms
Conclusion
Work Cited

Introduction

Stanley Milgram has developed a historic psychological study method to analyze human behavior under authority in a systematic and sequential manner. This piece of work has followed a scientific analysis to develop an acceptable and useful classical work. He has adopted well-devised data collection methods, analytical methods and presentation modes. The technique has enabled his work to remain memorable since its application continues in various fields of human life.

Key Terms

Destructive Obedience

This is the process of ordering a naive to administer an increasingly more severe punishment to a victim in the context of learning experiment (Milgram 373). Milgram uses “a shock generator, thirty graded switches ranging from slight shock to a more dangerous one” (Milgram 373). Behavioral study of obedience is one that experiments a person’s yield to power beyond his/her capacity, especially, on the authority.

Personnel and Locale

The experiment was conducted at Yale University in an elegant interaction laboratory (Milgram 375). This study was carried out at this location. On this study, the situation was in the Yale university elegant laboratory. It is vital for researchers to give details of their experiments, such as places and time of the experiment. This is important for the analysis and evaluation of the experiment results (Milgram 375).

Dependent Measures

The primary dependent measure for any subject is the maximum shock one administers before he/she refuses to go any further (Milgram 375). In principle, “this may vary from zero to thirty, that is, for a subject who refuses to administer any shock and, for a subject who administers the highest shock in generator” (Milgram 375).

Dependent measures are the extremes, which are achieved from any subject of the experiment. This varies from one individual to another since some can tolerate the minimum quantity while others take the highest quantities.

Experimental Feedback

At various points of the experiment, the subject may turn to the experimenter for advice on whether he/she should continue to administer the shocks, or he/she may indicate that he/she might not whish to continue (Milgram 372). Notably, feed back is the position or view on the subject and the administration of the experiment.

Signs of Extreme Tension 97

Often, the subjects show “some signs of nervousness during the experiments, especially when administering very powerful shocks” (Milgram 377). In any form of experiment, the subjects might be in situations beyond their control. For the experimenter to note this, there are some specific signs, which they observe before responding appropriately.

Therefore, the experimenter must be able to identify these signs using the physical changes which take place on the subject. They need to carry out a quick response to manage the situation. The signs might include drowsiness, unconsciousness and withdrawal signs. These are referred to as the signs of extreme tensions in the experiment.

Overview

Milgram’s experiment shows the influence of social factors on an individual and generally the people in the society. From his experiment, the influence of social links and pressures on one’s behavior can be clearly drawn. Factors such revelation of true characters, frankness and openness of an individual are some of the most affected by these links. Milgram’s work tries to explain the impact of rule and power in any given society. In addition, this can applied in governance (Milgram 377).

He uses procedural scientific methods of collecting data, tabulating, synthesis and evaluation to come up with the results. The mode applied by Milgram gives classical analysis and ability to create understanding among people. The method taken by Milgram is easy to understand and integrate in learning process (Milgram 374).

The article is a procedural mode of carrying out destructive obedience by Stanley Milgram in a laboratory. Milgram took S naïve as the administrator of this experiment. He carried out his experiment with a shock generator for the study purpose.

The generator was structured with thirty controllable switches, ranging from the lowest with zero voltage to the highest at thirty voltages. He chose the experimental victim, referred to as E confidante. Milgram came up with both the dependent and independent variables for the quantitative analysis of his work (Milgram 372).

He applied observation as well as feed back methods to check on the response of the subject, at varying degree of voltage. He noted the subject’s behaviour from the time of strapping to the time of release. The aim was to see the effect of power on an individual’s psychology.

This happened because subject was helpless, after he got strapped. Milgram intended to bring out vulnerability state, when one is overpowered. He wanted to bring out the effect of conformity as well as obedient in civilization. The relationship between them could then be seen to vary at a close range (Milgram 376).

Relevancy of the Article

Milgram’s article relates to the class studies since it employs several psychological concepts to come up with the findings. Milgram develops a social cognitive by studying his subject’s behaviour in different situations. He applies a research that analyses every aspect of the behavior.

Precisely, he developed quantitative measurement criteria after collecting his data. He came up with a score table for each measurement taken. This is to reduce the chances of observation biasness. Finally, Milgram notes all the possible assumptions in his methodologies and the corrective measures (Milgram 378).

Milgram’s Merits

The work of milligram has historically drawn attention in various fields of government. It also captures personal identity under social pressures. This study can be used to evaluate why people in a society behave in a given manner towards the authorities. In addition, Milgram’s work psychologically brings out the concepts of civilization and democracy in a society. This work has been applied by various researchers in studying human behaviours in different settings to the authority (Milgram 375).

It is through this experiment that many researchers have drawn conclusion on the psychology of inmates as well as students and strict rules. The study and its evaluation measures have become vital in some governments, especially, to draw expected outcomes in political environments. Explanations on riots and civil wars have been drawn from Milgram’s experiment. His work has also been used to show the impact of freedom to people in various social life situations.

Education, scientific and innovation fields have benefited a lot from this study since it is used in creating an enabling environment for these aspects to develop fully. In fact, many managers and business proprietors owe a lot of their success to Milgram’s work. However, Milgram’s work is not free from critics since some researchers claim that people react differently according to several underlying factors. Thus, varied results are expected from different people (Milgram 378).

Conclusion

Psychology has contributed greatly to the development of many societies. The success in various fields is mainly attributed to great researchers who conduct most of their studies to improve human lifestyle. Among the contributors is Stanley Milgram who has devised a cognitive behaviour study of people under the influence of power. The researcher uses critical analytical aspects to draw his conclusions that has found wide acceptance despite some critics.

Work Cited

Milgram, Stanley. “Behavioral Study of Obedience.” Journal of Abnormal Social Psychology 67.4 (1963): 371-378. Print.

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