Stanley Milgram
American scientist Stanley Milgram carried out the Milgram experiment in order to find out whether subordinates would carry out actions that are against their conscience with instructions from their superiors (Zhang et al., 2005). Milgram initiated the Milgram experiment in order to establish whether Adolf Eichmann who was in trial for war crimes in 1961, and his colleagues had common intentions when carrying out war crimes (Milgram, 1974).
The Experiment
Perry (2003) explains that the basic scenario of the experiment requires three people to participate. The volunteer assumes the role of the teacher. The remaining two assume the role of the learner and the experimenter. The experimenter moderates the experiment as well as giving the teacher the instructions to give to the learner. The teacher and the learner reside in separate rooms and the teacher is to teach the learner a list of paired words. The learner received an electric shock administered by the teacher for every wrong answer. In reality, there is actually no shock administered. The shock generator connected to a tape recorder that produced electric shock sounds, and the learner acted and responded as if he/she was hurt. After every wrong answer, 15 units of voltage are increased. The volunteer for the experiment is convinced that the learner receives actual shocks (Perry, 2012).
Results
Perry (2003), reports that 65% of the volunteers to the Milgram experiment were willing to administer the highest degree of shock voltage. The volunteers also questioned the intention of the experiment at some point. The volunteers generally exhibited signs of stress, nervousness, and tension throughout the experiment. Milgram (1974) summarized the findings of the experiment by stating that ordinary people can carry out any action as ordered by an authoritative figure without any hostile motive in them, and added that their obedience is exploitable for ulterior motives by the authoritative figure. Most of the ordinary people lack the ability to resist authority even after witnessing the injurious effects of the orders (Milgram, 1974).
Ethical Research Standards
There is conduction of social research all over the world and researchers will experience varied challenges and standards to conform to due to the interaction with different legal requirements, cultures, political atmosphere, as well as economies. This article will focus on a few basic ethical research standards set by various organizations. Fulford et al. (1993), states that the participants should participate in a research exercise out of their free will. The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) formed the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) with the view to promote an ethical approach when doing research. UNESCO (2003), states that the research topic and objective should benefit society and possess of the best scientific judgment. The researcher should consult in case a research method has injurious effects and should only proceed with such method if no other method is available and with strong justification for using the method. The research project investigators hold the responsibility for all the research activities and the outcome. The conduction of research should be in such a way that integrity maintained and the refrain from negative effects to the field of research that may jeopardize future research (UNESCO, 2003).
The Council for European Social Science Data Archives (CESSDA), states that the research should respect the privacy of the participants and uphold their welfare. CESSDA (2012) also adds that the research should be in compliance of the society’s customs, culture, laws, and regulations. The researchers should handle the participant’s information confidentially and their anonymity maintained. The research findings should be available and be reported objectively and fully. The participants should have access to the results of the study in a format and language they can understand (CESSDA, 2012).
Milgram Experiment and Ethical Standards
The problem with the Milgram experiment is that the learner in the experiment is an actor. Therefore, the reactions of the learner are not reliable since the actor’s actions are all predetermined. The biggest problem with the Milgram experiment is the deception of the teacher that the learner received electric shocks for every wrong answer. The experimenters also concealed the potential psychological effects on the participants (Experiment-Resources, 2012). This made most of the volunteers to suffer mental stress since they believed that they had hurt another human being. A different sort of motivation could replace the electric shocking such as the allocation of points for correct answers and the deduction of points for the wrong answer on the part of the learner, while the teacher received allocation for the willingness to punish the learner.
Current ethical standards dictate the participants of an experiment should know the truth. Moreover, they should be aware of the consequences of the experiment. The experimenters should follow up the participants of the experiment to check on whether they experience long-term psychological side effects (UNESCO, 2003). Luckily, the Milgram experiment did not result to any serious long-term psychological effects. Otherwise, it is important to follow the set ethical standards of experimentation to avoid the exploitation of volunteers, to avoid experiments with ulterior motives, to ensure responsibility and accountability on the part of the experiment sponsor and the experimenters, and to avoid the volunteers from suffering avoidable long-term psychological problems out of the irresponsibility of the experimenters. Failure to observe ethical experimentation measures will lead to the decline in the credibility of social experiments as well as a decline in the trust and the turnout of volunteers for genuine experiments that would make positive changes to humanity.
CESSDA. (2012). Research Ethics. Retrieved from web (Accessed 10/Jul/2012) :
Experiment-Resources. (2012). Informed Consent Policy. Rertieved from web (Accessed 10/Jul/2012) :
Fulford, K. and Howse, K. (1993). Ethics of Research with Psychiatric Patients: Principles, Problems and the Primary Responsibilities of Researchers. pp 85 - 91. Retrieved from web (accessed 11/Jul/2012) :
Milgram, Stanley. (1974). The Perils of Obedience. Harpers Magazine. Rertieved from web (Accessed 10/Jul/2012) : < http://myclass.peelschools.org/sec/12/28291/Homework/Milgram%20-%20perils%20of%20obediance.pdf>
Perry, Gina (2012). Behind the Shock Machine: the untold story of the notorious Milgram psychology experiments.(Kindle edition). Scribe Publications. Rertieved from web (Accessed 10/Jul/2012) :
UNESCO. (2003). Ethical Guidelines for International Comparative Social Science Research in the framework of MOST. Retrieved from web (Accessed 10/Jul/2012) :
Zhang, Yueping and Moore, Kevin. E. (2005). A Class Demonstration Using Deception to Promote Student Involvement with Research Ethics. pp. 155-157. Retrieved from web (Accessed 11/Jul/2012) : < http://msbapps05.marshall.usc.edu:2082/stable/27559248?&Search=yes&searchText=social&searchText=ethics&searchText=research&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dethics%2Bin%2Bsocial%2Bresearch%26gw%3Djtx%26acc%3Don%26prq%3DDistrict%2Bpolicies%252C%2BDistrict%2Bprocedures%252C%2BAND%2BDistrict%2Bprograms%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Beducation%2Bof%2Bstudents%2Bwith%2Bmental%2Bretardation%252C%2Bautism%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=6&ttl=118538&returnArticleService=showFullText>
