ocial

sychology

Comparison of Milgrim's and Gamson et al.'s Procedures

Why the difference in the outcomes of the Milgram and Gamson et al. investigations? Some similarities and differences in the two studies are presented below.

 I. Similarities

• In both investigations authority oversteps its bounds and is unjust.
• The subjects did not previously know one another.
• In both investigations the subjects were neither threatened with punishment nor heavily     rewarded participation.
• The Milgram and Gamson et al. studies were performed in the US.

• The Milgram baseline procedure was performed in 1963 and the Gamson et al. study was performed in 1981. In that time Vietnam, Watergate, and the civil rights became issues of national importance. Were people simply more obedient in 1963 than today? Unfortunately, the data necessary to answer that question is not available.
• The Milgram investigation was conducted at Yale and the Gamson et al. study was held in less prestigious surroundings. Was prestige an important factor influencing obedience? In one variation, the Milgram procedure was carried out in by a private research group rather than at Yale. The percentage of maximum obedience decreased from 63% to 48%. Therefore, prestige could have accounted for some of the difference between Milgram's baseline procedure and the Gamson et al. study. However, prestige was certainly not the only variable responsible for differences in the findings of the two investigations.
• In Milgram's study only one actual subject was present. Thus, there was no chance for collective action against the experimenter. On the other hand, in the Gamson study eight or nine subjects were in each group. The possibility of a collective rebellion was always present. Does the number of subjects reduce obedience? Certainly, you know the world is too complex to expect a simple "yes" or "no" answer. We'll look at that one more closely later.