Asch and Milgram

1. Asch and Milgram on Conformity and Obedience

2. Solomon Asch: Hypothesis and Methodology • Conformity Experiment- mid 1950s • Subject asked to match one of three lines to a “standard line” • The answer was obvious • Hypothesis: • ????

3. Asch Methodology and Results • Other group members insisted one of the shorter lines was actually the same height as the standard • Subject began to question… • Results: • ??? Comparison Lines Standard Line

4. Asch’s Findings on Conformity • Less than 1% of subjects chose the wrong line when asked on their own. • More than 33% chose the wrong line when asked in a group that had chosen the same wrong line

5. Statistical Significance • Statistical Significance • A statistical significance test normally generates a result between 0 and 1 • 0 showing no correlation between variables • 1 that there is absolute correlation • What’s acceptable? • If your confidence level, P <0.05 or 0.001 reject • If P is > 0.05 there is significance

6. Stanley Milgram Hypothesis and Methodology • Studied obedience and how people respond to orders from an authority figure • Real subjects assigned role of “teacher” • Actors assigned role of “learner” • Teachers think learners are also subjects in experiment • Subjects thought they were taking a test on the effects of punishment on learning

7. Miligram Methodology • Teacher was instructed to give the learner electric shocks if he answered the question wrong • Teacher didn’t know the shocks weren’t real • Learner (actor) would scream and groan in agony • Experimenter would insist that the teacher continue • Shock voltage would increase

8. Milgram Results • Teachers were visibly distressed about the experiment but 60% continued • Even when learner said they had “slight heart condition” and screamed louder 65% still continued!