AP Psych Obedience and Milgram Experiment
37 flashcards covering AP Psych Obedience and Milgram Experiment for the AP-PSYCHOLOGY Unit 9: Social section.
The topic of obedience, particularly as demonstrated by the Milgram Experiment, is a key concept in AP Psychology, specifically outlined in the College Board's AP Psychology Curriculum Framework. This topic explores how individuals comply with authority figures, even when such compliance may conflict with personal morals and ethics. The Milgram Experiment, conducted in the 1960s, revealed the extent to which people are willing to follow orders, raising important questions about ethical considerations in psychological research and real-world applications.
On practice exams, questions about obedience often involve scenarios that require students to analyze the factors influencing compliance, such as authority, situational context, and personal responsibility. Common traps include misinterpreting the role of situational variables or overlooking the psychological mechanisms that drive obedience. Students should be cautious of questions that present ambiguous scenarios, as these can lead to confusion about the correct response.
One practical tip to remember is that fostering a culture of ethical decision-making in any organization can help mitigate blind obedience to authority.
Terms (37)
- 01
What was the primary focus of the Milgram experiment?
The primary focus of the Milgram experiment was to investigate the extent to which individuals would obey an authority figure, even when asked to perform actions conflicting with their personal conscience, such as administering electric shocks to another person (College Board AP CED).
- 02
Under what conditions did participants in the Milgram experiment show higher levels of obedience?
Participants showed higher levels of obedience when the authority figure was perceived as legitimate, when the experiment was conducted in a prestigious setting, and when they were not required to take personal responsibility for their actions (College Board AP CED).
- 03
What ethical concerns arose from the Milgram experiment?
The Milgram experiment raised ethical concerns regarding the psychological stress inflicted on participants, lack of informed consent, and the potential for long-term emotional harm (College Board AP CED).
- 04
How did Milgram's experiment contribute to our understanding of social psychology?
Milgram's experiment contributed to social psychology by illustrating the powerful influence of authority on behavior, highlighting the conflict between personal conscience and obedience (College Board AP CED).
- 05
What role did the presence of others play in the Milgram experiment?
The presence of others, particularly those who disobeyed, could decrease the level of obedience among participants, demonstrating the impact of social influence on individual behavior (College Board AP CED).
- 06
What was the setting of the Milgram experiment?
The Milgram experiment was conducted at Yale University, which contributed to the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure and the experiment itself (College Board AP CED).
- 07
What was the method used to measure obedience in the Milgram experiment?
Obedience was measured by the willingness of participants to administer electric shocks of increasing intensity to a learner, who was actually an actor and not receiving real shocks (College Board AP CED).
- 08
What did Milgram conclude about human nature from his experiment?
Milgram concluded that ordinary people are capable of committing acts of cruelty when instructed by an authority figure, challenging the notion that only certain individuals are predisposed to such behavior (College Board AP CED).
- 09
Which psychological concept is illustrated by the Milgram experiment?
The Milgram experiment illustrates the concept of obedience, which refers to the compliance of an individual to an authority figure's commands (College Board AP CED).
- 10
What was the role of the 'learner' in the Milgram experiment?
The 'learner' in the Milgram experiment was an actor who pretended to be shocked, providing a measure of the participant's willingness to obey commands to administer pain (College Board AP CED).
- 11
How did Milgram ensure the participants believed the shocks were real?
Milgram used a realistic shock generator and provided verbal prompts to enhance the participants' belief that they were administering real shocks to the learner (College Board AP CED).
- 12
What was the significance of the 'proximity' variable in the Milgram experiment?
The 'proximity' variable, which involved the physical closeness of the learner to the teacher, significantly affected obedience rates; closer proximity typically resulted in lower obedience (College Board AP CED).
- 13
What was the impact of debriefing in the Milgram experiment?
Debriefing was crucial in the Milgram experiment to alleviate participants' distress and clarify that the shocks were not real, addressing ethical concerns about psychological harm (College Board AP CED).
- 14
How did Milgram's findings challenge previous assumptions about behavior?
Milgram's findings challenged the assumption that only certain individuals would engage in harmful behavior, showing that situational factors and authority could lead ordinary people to act against their morals (College Board AP CED).
- 15
What did the Milgram experiment reveal about the role of authority in decision-making?
The Milgram experiment revealed that authority figures can significantly influence individuals' decision-making processes, often leading them to act against their ethical beliefs (College Board AP CED).
- 16
What ethical guidelines were violated in the Milgram experiment?
The Milgram experiment violated ethical guidelines related to informed consent, psychological harm, and the right to withdraw, as participants were not fully aware of the nature of the study (College Board AP CED).
- 17
What was the main hypothesis tested in the Milgram experiment?
The main hypothesis tested was that individuals would obey authority figures even when such obedience conflicted with their personal conscience (College Board AP CED).
- 18
What is the significance of the term 'agentic state' in the context of Milgram's findings?
The term 'agentic state' refers to a psychological condition in which individuals see themselves as agents executing the wishes of an authority figure, which can lead to diminished personal responsibility for actions (College Board AP CED).
- 19
How did Milgram's experiment influence subsequent research on obedience?
Milgram's experiment influenced subsequent research by prompting further studies on obedience, authority, and ethical considerations in psychological experiments (College Board AP CED).
- 20
What was the role of the experimenter in the Milgram study?
The experimenter acted as the authority figure, instructing the participants to continue administering shocks, which was critical in assessing obedience levels (College Board AP CED).
- 21
What was the effect of prior knowledge about the experiment on participants' behavior?
Prior knowledge about the experiment's true nature could reduce obedience levels, as it may lead participants to question the legitimacy of the authority figure (College Board AP CED).
- 22
What was the main conclusion drawn from the variations of the Milgram experiment?
Variations of the Milgram experiment concluded that factors such as proximity, authority legitimacy, and group influence significantly affected obedience levels (College Board AP CED).
- 23
What psychological phenomenon does the Milgram experiment exemplify regarding group dynamics?
The Milgram experiment exemplifies the phenomenon of groupthink, where the desire for harmony in a group can lead to irrational or dysfunctional decision-making (College Board AP CED).
- 24
How did Milgram address the potential for long-term effects on participants?
Milgram addressed concerns about long-term effects by conducting follow-up interviews to assess participants' psychological well-being after the experiment (College Board AP CED).
- 25
What was the societal context during which Milgram conducted his experiment?
Milgram conducted his experiment during the 1960s, a time marked by significant social upheaval and questioning of authority, particularly in the wake of World War II (College Board AP CED).
- 26
What role did the 'shock generator' play in the Milgram experiment?
The shock generator was a key tool in the Milgram experiment, designed to simulate the administration of electric shocks and measure participants' obedience levels (College Board AP CED).
- 27
What did Milgram's experiment suggest about the nature of evil?
Milgram's experiment suggested that evil acts could be committed by ordinary people under the influence of authority, challenging the perception that only certain individuals are capable of such behavior (College Board AP CED).
- 28
What is the significance of the term 'dispositional factors' in the context of obedience?
Dispositional factors refer to individual personality traits that may influence obedience, but Milgram's findings emphasized the power of situational factors over dispositional ones (College Board AP CED).
- 29
What was the role of feedback in the Milgram experiment?
Feedback from the learner, including protests and cries of pain, served as a critical factor in assessing the participants' moral conflict and obedience levels (College Board AP CED).
- 30
How did Milgram's experiment relate to the concept of moral disengagement?
Milgram's experiment illustrated moral disengagement, where individuals justify harmful actions by deferring responsibility to authority figures (College Board AP CED).
- 31
What did Milgram's findings reveal about the limits of personal conscience?
Milgram's findings revealed that personal conscience can be overridden by the perceived authority of an experimenter, leading individuals to act against their moral beliefs (College Board AP CED).
- 32
How did the Milgram experiment challenge the notion of free will?
The Milgram experiment challenged the notion of free will by demonstrating that situational pressures and authority can significantly influence individuals' choices and actions (College Board AP CED).
- 33
What is the relevance of the Milgram experiment in contemporary discussions about authority?
The Milgram experiment remains relevant in contemporary discussions about authority, compliance, and ethical behavior in various contexts, including military and corporate settings (College Board AP CED).
- 34
What was the impact of the Milgram experiment on ethical standards in psychological research?
The Milgram experiment had a profound impact on ethical standards in psychological research, leading to stricter guidelines regarding informed consent and participant welfare (College Board AP CED).
- 35
What was the main ethical concern regarding participant deception in the Milgram experiment?
The main ethical concern regarding participant deception was that participants were misled about the true nature of the study, which raised issues of informed consent and psychological harm (College Board AP CED).
- 36
How did Milgram's experiment influence public perception of authority figures?
Milgram's experiment influenced public perception by highlighting the potential for authority figures to elicit harmful behavior, prompting skepticism about blind obedience (College Board AP CED).
- 37
What was the significance of the 'no feedback' condition in Milgram's variations?
The 'no feedback' condition in Milgram's variations demonstrated that the absence of feedback from the learner could increase obedience, as participants felt less moral conflict (College Board AP CED).