Question 1

The Stanford Prison Experiment tested the degree to which people will obey the destructive orders of a seemingly legitimate authority figure and deliver intense electric shocks to an innocent person.

Accepted Answer

The Stanford Prison Experiment was designed to investigate the psychological effects of perceived power, focusing on the struggle between prisoners and prison officers. The experiment involving electric shocks is the Milgram experiment, which tested obedience to authority figures.

Question 2

The Army Reserve guards' belief that the Abu Ghraib detainees were dangerous Islamic terrorists may have contributed to their mistreatment of the detainees, because it allowed them to dehumanize the prisoners and categorize them as out-group members.

Accepted Answer

Studies in social psychology have shown that categorizing individuals as "us" versus "them" can lead to the dehumanization of the out-group and make it easier to justify mistreatment. In the case of Abu Ghraib, the guards' belief that the detainees were terrorists may have caused them to view the prisoners as less than human and therefore treat them in inhumane ways.

Question 3

One of the key factors that contributed to the destructive obedience seen in Stanley Milgram's original experiment was that the subjects arrived at the lab with the mental expectation that they would obey the person in charge.

Accepted Answer

Milgram recruited participants who were initially told that they were taking part in a study on memory and learning. However, upon arrival, they were introduced to the authority figure (the experimenter) who explained that they would need to administer electric shocks to another participant if they answered questions incorrectly. This introduction of the authority figure and their instructions on the shock administration established the expectation of obedience in the participants.

Question 4

Although some members of the military went along with the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, others protested the mistreatment and reported it to authorities.

Accepted Answer

There were a few military personnel who reported the abuse at Abu Ghraib to their superiors, including Specialist Joseph Darby who provided photographic evidence to authorities.

Question 5

In one variation of Milgram's obedience experiment, the teacher saw two other participants refuse to obey the experimenter. Under these experimental conditions, more than 50 percent of participants still administered the maximum shock value of 450 volts.

Accepted Answer

In the variation of Milgram's obedience experiment where the teacher saw two other participants refuse to obey the experimenter, only 10 percent of participants administered the maximum shock value of 450 volts.

Question 6

All of the accused military guards at Abu Ghraib had received extensive training in interrogation procedures and international and Army regulations covering the treatment of prisoners-of-war.

Accepted Answer

Many of the military personnel involved in the Abu Ghraib scandal lacked proper training in interrogation procedures and were not adequately informed about international and Army regulations regarding the treatment of prisoners-of-war.

Question 7

In variations of his original obedience experiment, Milgram found that if the experimenter left the room, destructive obedience greatly decreased.

Accepted Answer

Milgram conducted a variation of his original obedience experiment in which the experimenter left the room and found that obedience decreased significantly. This indicated that the presence of an authority figure played a strong role in encouraging destructive obedience.

Question 8

The Stanford Prison Experiment lasted for six months before it was halted.

Accepted Answer

The Stanford Prison Experiment was planned to last for two weeks but was terminated after only six days due to the disturbing behavior of the participants.

Question 9

Some of the Army Reserve guards convicted of mistreatment of Abu Ghraib detainees testified that they were praised for their behavior and believed that they were doing their duty.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Several guards testified that they were encouraged and congratulated by their superiors for their actions at Abu Ghraib, leading them to believe that they were carrying out their duty as directed.

Question 10

One factor that contributed to the obedience displayed in Milgram's experiments was that the level of the shocks, and the learner's protests, escalated gradually.

Accepted Answer

Milgram's experiment involved gradually increasing the level of shocks administered to the learner, which contributed to the obedience displayed by the participants. As the shocks increased, the learner's protests also escalated, which may have made it seem more necessary to continue following the experimenter's instructions.

Question 11

In a follow-up questionnaire, more than half of the participants in Milgram's obedience experiments reported that they were "sorry to have been in the experiment" because they felt badly about having inflicted so much pain on the learner.

Accepted Answer

The majority of participants in Milgram's obedience experiments reported that they were glad to have participated, with many stating that they learned something important about themselves or human nature.

Question 12

The scientific study of conformity and obedience has demonstrated that each of us does have the capacity to resist group or authority pressure.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that individuals can resist conformity and obedience pressures, especially when they perceive the situation as unjust or morally problematic. However, the degree to which individuals can resist such pressures can vary depending on various factors, such as the strength of the group or authority, the level of social support available, and the personal characteristics and values of the individual.

Question 13

In variations of his original obedience experiment Milgram found that the lowest level of destructive obedience occurred when the teacher was allowed to act as his own authority and freely choose the shock level.

Accepted Answer

Milgram found that when the teacher was allowed to act as his own authority and freely choose the shock level, the lowest level of destructive obedience occurred.

Question 14

A key factor that influenced some subjects to continue obeying the experimenter's orders in Milgram's obedience study was the situation, or context, in which the obedience occurred.

Accepted Answer

The situation, such as the authority of the experimenter and the pressure to conform, played a significant role in influencing subjects to continue obeying even when they were uncomfortable or conflicted.

Question 15

In Milgram's original obedience experiment, the fact that the teacher and the learner were not in the same room and could not see each other was one of the key factors that influenced the subject to continue obeying the experimenter's orders.

Accepted Answer

This is true. One of the key factors that influenced subjects to continue obeying the experimenter's orders was that the teacher and the learner were not in the same room and could not see each other. This reduced the social pressure on the teacher to stop administering shocks when the learner expressed pain or distress.

Question 16

The Stanford Prison Experiment clearly demonstrated that conformity to social roles and implied social norms can make people behave in ways that are contrary to their usual behavior.

Accepted Answer

The Stanford Prison Experiment conducted in 1971 revealed that individuals can be led to act in ways contrary to their usual behavior due to the pressure to conform to social roles and implied social norms. This was demonstrated through the behavior of the guards and prisoners in the experiment.

Question 17

Lynndie England, the Army Reserve private convicted of mistreating detainees at Abu Ghraib, was trained as a file clerk, not a prison guard.

Accepted Answer

Lynndie England was not trained as a prison guard but rather as a file clerk in the Army Reserve.

Question 18

The scientific study of conformity and obedience demonstrated the degree to which our behavior is influenced by situational factors.

Accepted Answer

The scientific study of conformity and obedience has shown that situational factors can have a significant impact on our behavior, leading us to conform to group norms or obey authority figures even when we may not agree with their actions or beliefs. This research has important implications for understanding human behavior and social dynamics, as well as for developing strategies to promote positive social change and prevent harmful behaviors.

Question 19

Multiple elements combined to create the conditions for brutality at Abu Ghraib prison, including in-group versus out-group thinking, negative stereotypes, dehumanization, and prejudice.

Accepted Answer

Multiple studies and reports have identified these factors as contributing to the abusive behaviors by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison during the Iraq War. These factors led the soldiers to view Iraqi prisoners as less than human and justified mistreating them.

Question 20

The subjects assigned to the role of "teacher" in Milgram's original obedience study showed very little emotion or concern for the obvious pain they inflicted on the learner when they administered intense electric shocks.

Accepted Answer

Many of the "teachers" in Milgram's study showed signs of extreme tension and conflict, including sweating, trembling, stuttering, biting their lips, groaning, and digging their fingernails into their flesh, indicating they were under significant emotional strain while administering the shocks.

Quiz 11: Section 3: Social Psychology