Question 1

The performance of a behavior in response to a direct command is called:

Accepted Answer

Obedience refers to the performance of a behavior in response to a direct command. Conformity refers to the matching of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group norms, while prosocial and altruistic behavior involve helping and benefiting others.

Question 2

If Jerome takes part in a replication of Milgram's obedience experiments that involves observing two other "teachers" refusing to continue, it is very likely that Jerome:

Accepted Answer

Observing other people refusing to continue in the experiment can lead to Jerome feeling more comfortable refusing to administer shocks at the highest level as well. This is known as social influence and can decrease obedience to authority.

Question 3

During Stanley Milgram's original obedience study, most of the subjects:

Accepted Answer

Participants in Milgram's study showed extreme tension and conflict as they continued to shock the learner. Some even showed signs of distress, such as sweating, trembling, and nervous laughter. This suggests that the act of shocking another person, even when instructed to do so by an authority figure, goes against individuals' moral views and causes psychological discomfort.

Question 4

In Milgram's original obedience study, if the "teacher" protested that he wished to stop or that he was worried about the "learner's" safety, what did the experimenter do?

Accepted Answer

In Milgram's original obedience study, if the "teacher" protested that he wished to stop or that he was worried about the "learner's" safety, the experimenter would say, "The experiment requires that you continue," and would encourage the teacher to continue administering shocks. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

Question 5

The social psychologist who is best known for his controversial series of studies investigating destructive obedience to an authority is:

Accepted Answer

Stanley Milgram is best known for his controversial study on obedience to authority, where he found that ordinary individuals were willing to administer what they believed to be lethal electric shocks to a stranger just because they were instructed to do so by an authority figure.

Question 6

Milgram described the details of his experimental design to three groups: psychiatrists, college students, and middle-class adults. He asked each group to predict how subjects would behave. The results of this survey showed:

Accepted Answer

According to the passage, Milgram asked three different groups to predict how subjects would behave in the experiment. The passage does not indicate that any of the groups' predictions were correct, suggesting that all three groups were wrong in their predictions. Therefore, the correct choice is C.

Question 7

Professor Gorsky is trying to replicate Milgram's obedience experiments. If Professor Gorsky allows the "teachers" to freely choose the level of shock given to the "learner," it is probable that:

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that when individuals are allowed to freely choose the level of shock, approximately 95 percent will not progress beyond the 150-volt level. This suggests that obedience to authority figures is decreased when individuals have more personal control over their actions.

Question 8

To remove any doubts about the legitimacy of the shock generator in Milgram's obedience study, the:

Accepted Answer

The "teachers" were given a sample shock to remove any doubts about the legitimacy of the shock generator in Milgram's obedience study.

Question 9

In Milgram's original obedience experiment, subjects who were assigned the role of "teacher":

Accepted Answer

In Milgram's original obedience experiment, the subjects who were assigned the role of "teacher" were deceived about the real role of the "learner" and the level of shock that he actually received. They were told that the shocks were real, but the learner was actually a confederate of the experiment who acted as if they were receiving the shocks. The purpose of the study was to measure the extent to which participants would follow the instructions of an authority figure, even if it meant inflicting harm on another person.

Question 10

In Milgram's original obedience study, what was the voltage level at which some participants first refused to continue shocking the "learner"?

Accepted Answer

Participants first refused to continue shocking the "learner" at the 315-volt level, which was labeled extreme intensity shock.

Question 11

Milgram, along with other researchers, identified several aspects of his original obedience experiment that had a strong impact on the subjects' willingness to obey the experimenter. Which of the following is NOT a factor that increased the subjects' willingness to obey?

Accepted Answer

The freedom of the "teacher" to choose the level of shock would likely decrease obedience, as it introduces personal responsibility and choice, contrary to the other factors which increase obedience by reducing personal agency or increasing authority pressure.

Question 12

If you were a subject in Milgram's original obedience experiment, it is very likely that:

Accepted Answer

In Milgram's original obedience experiment, the subjects were always assigned the role of the "teacher," while the "learner" was a confederate who pretended to be shocked.

Question 13

In a series of variations of his obedience experiments, Milgram found that the subjects were LEAST likely to deliver high levels of shocks when:

Accepted Answer

When teachers were free to choose the level of shock, they were least likely to deliver high levels of shocks, as they were not under direct pressure or authority to do so.

Question 14

Andrew volunteered to take part in a psychology experiment to earn extra credit for his psychology class. The experiment was one that studied obedience, and Andrew was asked to deliver aversive (unpleasant) consequences to another student. Based upon what you know about the forces that influence a subject to continue obeying an experimenter's orders, which of the following reactions is most likely?

Accepted Answer

Andrew's initial decision to volunteer for the experiment suggests that he already has a level of expectation to obey the experimenter, and this could be reinforced by the offer of extra credit. This mental expectation could influence his behavior and make him more likely to continue obeying the experimenter, even if it requires delivering unpleasant consequences to another student. It is important to note that individuals may behave differently in real-life situations, and it is not ethical to conduct experiments that cause unnecessary harm to participants or others.

Question 15

What were the basic results of psychologist Stanley Milgram's original obedience study?

Accepted Answer

Milgram's original obedience study found that despite hearing protests from the "learner" in another room, two-thirds of the subjects continued to administer shocks all the way to the full 450-volt level. This result was surprising and controversial, as it suggested that ordinary people could be willing to harm others under certain circumstances.

Question 16

Milgram's first obedience study was conducted with 40 male subjects. Andrea is participating in a replication of one of Milgram's obedience experiments, in which the 40 subjects are all female. You can safely predict that:

Accepted Answer

Milgram's original study found high levels of obedience regardless of gender, so it is likely that the female-only study will yield similar results. Gender does not seem to be a significant factor in obedience levels in Milgram's original study.

Question 17

In Milgram's original obedience study, there were many different factors operating in the situation that influenced the subjects to continue obeying the experimenter's orders. Which of the following was NOT one of those factors?

Accepted Answer

In Milgram's original obedience study, the subjects were not aware that their actions were being filmed, as the study was conducted in a controlled environment without informing participants of any filming.

Question 18

When the subjects of Milgram's obedience experiments completed a follow-up questionnaire, Milgram found that:

Accepted Answer

Most subjects reported being glad to have participated, as they found the experience educational and insightful, despite the ethical concerns about the deception involved.

Question 19

Milgram was influenced by Asch's conformity research, but he wanted to take Asch's research a step further and investigate a more important question. What was the question that Milgram wanted to study?

Accepted Answer

Milgram wanted to investigate if people could be pressured by others into committing an immoral act or taking an action that violated their conscience, such as hurting a stranger. This was the basis for his famous obedience experiments.

Question 20

Which of the following statements regarding Milgram's research is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Most of the subjects did not report emotional trauma or regret for participating in the experiment. Instead, the majority reported that they were glad to have participated and that they learned something about themselves and about human behavior.

Quiz 11: Social Psychology