Developmental psychology.pdf

504 Psychology and Society
Figure 18.17—
Conformity as Obedience. In
contrast to the psychiatrists'
predictions, 100 percent of the
subjects administered 300 volts or
more (Milgram, 1963).
Designation and
Voltage Indication
Slight shock
15
30
45
60
Moderate shock
75
90
105
120
Strong shock
135
150
165
180
Very strong shock
195
210
Number of Subjects
Who Administered
This Shock as
Maximum
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Designation and
Voltage Indication
Intense shock
255
270
285
300
Extreme intensity shock
315
330
345
360
Danger: severe shock
XXX
375
390
405
420
435
450
Number of Subjects
Who Administered
This Shock as
Maximum
0
0
0
5
4
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
26
225
0
240
0
did so even when the learner no longer responded to the task and therefore was being
punished for doing nothing. In the remaining cases the research was discontinued when
the subject refused to administer a stronger shock, but no one refrained from administering
300 volts, labeled "intense shock," at which point4he learner pounded on the
wall and then became silent (Figure 18.17).
Actually, the learner never received any shocks at all. As an accomplice of the
experimenter, he disconnected the generator. The subjects applied greater and greater
voltage at the experimenter's request, but in response they simply heard a tape recording
of the accomplice pounding, yelling, and cursing in the next room.
These findings are seen by some as a very important contribution to our understanding
of conformity. The obedience was far greater than one would expect, indicative
of the unthinking obedience of Hitler's hideously cruel SS troups during World
War II. Others see the cruelty as residing within the investigator, who designed this
diabolical investigation, duping his subjects and persuading them to perform this distasteful
task (Milgram, 1964; Baumrind, 1964). This question of research ethics is a
critical one, which was raised in the first chapter of this book.
Would the members of the psychology class perform in the same manner? Yes,
in all probability they would, unless they were previously familiar with this study. There
is evidence that obedience would be even greater with changes in the research procedure,
using people from diverse racial and social backgrounds in this research (Brant,
1980).
Altruistic Behavior
Our concern has been with an individual's responsiveness to a deviant authority, and
there was much greater compliance than even the experts predicted. Here we might
emphasize once again that psychology is far more than common sense. At other times
the findings are just what one would expect, and that outcome is not disturbing. As