eneral

sychology

Describe Milgram's baseline procedure and give the results of that investigation.

The subjects were adult males who received $4.00 to participate in a study on human memory at Yale University. They were met by a scientist in a lab coat and introduced to another subject (actually a confederate). The subjects were informed that the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of punishment in learning. Slips of paper were drawn to see who would be the "teacher" and who would be the "learner." In all cases, the actual subject was the "teacher." The "learner" was taken to an adjacent room. There, the "teacher" helped the "learner" into the shock apparatus. Electrode paste was applied to prevent burns from the shock. The "teacher" received a sample 45 volt shock.

The experimenter and "teacher" returned to the first room. The teacher sat before an intercom and a shock box. The shock box contained 30 switches. The switches had both numerical labels indicating the voltage and verbal descriptions of the intensity of the shock. The voltages produced by the switches ranged from 15 to 450 volts.

The "teacher" administered a paired-associates task to the "learner." He was instructed to give a 15 volt shock for the first error the "learner" made and to increase 15 volts for each subsequent error. If the "teacher" hesitated or protested the experimenter provided a verbal prod (e.g., "Please continue" or "The experiment requires that you continue). At no time was the "teacher" threatened.

The "learner's" reactions varied as the level of shock increased. At 75 volts he grunted, at 120 volts he shouted that the shocks were painful, at 150 volts he begged to be let out of the experiment, at 180 volts he yelled that he cannot stand the pain, at 270 volts there was an agonizing scream, at 300 volts a desperate shout that he refused to continue, at 315 volts a violent scream, at 330 volts a shriek and thereafter silence.

In Milgram's baseline procedure, 100% of the subjects gave 135 or more volts, 75% gave 285 volts or more, and 63% gave all 450 volts.
 

Next Study Question

General Home Page