Assignment task: Please can you assist in responding to a fellow student's post below in one to two sentences?
What are the key variables that increase or decrease obedience?
The Milgram obedience class study, controversial due to its controversial nature, investigated participants' willingness to follow or obey authorities, even if it meant inflicting harm on others (Milgram, 1963). The study found that obedience decreased as the victim moved closer, and obedience increased when participants believed others were obeying. The ethical concern of inflicting harm on someone is highlighted, as blind obedience can be dangerous in deciding obedience, the study emphasizes the significance of justice, culture, and belief. According to the study, people who had a strong belief in the authority figure were also more likely to exhibit higher degrees of obedience (Milgram, 1963). This indicates that a person's personal beliefs and values have a significant impact on how willing they are to harm others while operating in an authoritative capacity. The findings also emphasize the need for critical thinking skills and ethical norms in order to prevent the harmful effects of mindless compliance.
If you were a researcher interested in exploring these variables, what ethical considerations would you need to address?
The code of ethics of the American Psychological Association places a strong emphasis on deceit, informed consent, confidentiality, and harm prevention (American Psychological Association, 2017). Psychologists have a duty to safeguard participant privacy, reduce potential conflicts of interest, and put the welfare of their clients first (American Psychological Association, 2017). There were ethical issues with the Milgram experiment, including as participant protection and right of withdrawal. Psychologists should make sure participants are well informed, have voluntary agreements, and are able to leave without fear of consequences in order to allay these worries.
How do these variables impact social welfare or lead to restricting social change?
These factors have varying effects on social welfare and obstruct societal progress. The use of unethical research techniques may erode trust between participants and researchers, making it more difficult for participants to communicate and work together in the future. Second, the potential harm that these operations can cause to people could have negative psychological effects that could have an influence on their general wellbeing and mental health. When authoritative figures are viewed as sincere and trustworthy, people are more inclined to yield to them-even if their demands go counter to their own beliefs or ideals. This phenomenon, referred to as "authority bias," might have detrimental effects if participants are forced to engage in harmful or immoral activities. The collapse of the research process's general integrity can also result from a decline in participant-researcher trust, which could jeopardize the validity and reliability of the results.
References:
American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017).
Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral Study of obedience. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67(4), 371-378.