Analyze A Famous Experiment. There Have Been Many Fascinatin ✓ Solved

Analyze a famous experiment. There have been many fascinating

Analyze a famous experiment. There have been many fascinating and groundbreaking experiments throughout the history of psychology, providing ample material for students looking for an interesting term paper topic. In your paper, you might choose to summarize the experiment, analyze the ethics of the research or evaluate the implications of the study. Make sure you include a discussion about the development stage of the individuals who had been included in the experiment. To do this completely, it is encouraged for you to select a developmental theorist like Freud, Erikson, or Piaget and compare your experiments' participants to their matching developmental stage.

Possible experiments that you might consider include:

• The Milgram Obedience Experiment
• The Stanford Prison Experiment
• The Little Albert Experiment
• Pavlov's Conditioning Experiments
• The Asch Conformity Experiment
• Harlow's Rhesus Monkey Experiments

Make your paper 3-5 pages in length, include your name and at least 5 professional references (your textbook is acceptable; Youtube, Wikipedia etc. are NOT). It is suggested that you use the library resources to ensure you are using a professional resource. Citations are needed throughout the paper, if you are using APA or MLA (either is fine).

Paper For Above Instructions

The realm of psychology is profoundly enriched by renowned experiments that have shaped our understanding of human behavior and development. This paper analyzes the Milgram Obedience Experiment conducted by Stanley Milgram in the early 1960s, an intricate study that explored the extent to which individuals would comply with authority figures, even when asked to perform actions contradicting their personal conscience. The Milgram experiments not only provided insights into obedience but also raised significant ethical considerations regarding the treatment of participants in psychological research.

In the Milgram Experiment, participants were instructed to administer electrical shocks to a "learner" whenever an incorrect answer was provided during a word-pairing task. Unbeknownst to them, the learner was an actor, and no actual shocks were given. The study’s findings were startling; a significant majority of participants continued to deliver shocks despite hearing pleas for help from the learner. This tendency to obey authority, even when it resulted in apparent harm to another individual, sparked extensive discussions about ethical standards in psychological studies, the moral implications of obedience, and the conflict between personal conscience and authority.

From an ethical standpoint, the Milgram Experiment faced substantial scrutiny. Participants were deceived about the nature of the study, which raised questions concerning informed consent. Deceit in research must be cautiously balanced against the potential insights gained. Milgram argued that the findings provided valuable knowledge about human behavior that outweighed the ethical concerns (Milgram, 1974). However, the emotional distress endured by participants necessitates a reevaluation of the ethical boundaries in psychological research and the well-being of subjects.

To evaluate these individuals’ behaviors through a developmental lens, references can be made to Erik Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. Erikson’s theory outlines eight stages, each characterized by a specific conflict crucial for personal development. The subjects of the Milgram Experiment were primarily adults engaged in their middle adulthood (approximately ages 30-50), navigating the “Generativity vs. Stagnation” stage. Here, individuals grapple with the desire to contribute positively to society through their work and relationships (Erikson, 1963).

Participants, influenced by societal norms and a strong need for acceptance, likely felt that obeying the experimenter was a way to validate their roles in society and exhibit their accountability. This conflict between personal ethics and the expectations set forth by authority figures highlights the potential moral dilemmas faced by individuals within this developmental stage. For some, the need to conform and fulfill their societal roles may override their moral objections, demonstrating the complexity of human behavior in the context of authority.

Furthermore, the implications of the Milgram Experiment extend beyond individual participants. The results provoked critical inquiries related to the nature of authority and the susceptibility of ordinary individuals to commit harmful acts under pressure. This raises questions about collective ethics and the responsibility of society in shaping moral frameworks capable of resisting destructive obedience (Lifton, 1986). Research indicates that ordinary people might perform atrocious acts when rationalized by an authoritative figure, shedding light on historical events such as war crimes and systemic injustices.

In a contrasting developmental perspective, Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development might also provide insights into the cognitive processing of those involved in the Milgram study. Piaget outlined various stages of cognitive growth, emphasizing how individuals progressively develop more complex reasoning abilities. Participants in the Milgram Experiment, likely operating at the formal operational stage of development, should theoretically possess the capacity for abstract thinking and moral reasoning (Piaget, 1972). However, the study suggests that even cognitively capable individuals may suppress their moral reasoning when confronted by an authoritative figure, indicating a dissonance between cognitive capability and ethical action.

The Milgram Obedience Experiment, therefore, serves as a powerful case study in psychological research, demonstrating the multifaceted relationship between authority and individual moral judgment while intertwining ethical considerations and developmental theories. This exploration prompts ongoing discussions about the ethical treatment of participants, the importance of ethical standards in research, and the implications of findings on our understanding of human behavior and moral development.

References

• Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and Society. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Lifton, R. J. (1986). The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide. Basic Books.
• Milgram, S. (1974). Obedience to Authority: An Experimental View. Harper & Row.
• Piaget, J. (1972). The Psychology of Intelligence. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
• Blass, T. (2004). The Man Who Shocked the World: The Life and Legacy of Stanley Milgram. Basic Books.
• Zimbardo, P. G. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil. Random House.
• Bauman, Z. (1989). Modernity and the Holocaust. Cornell University Press.
• Hoffman, M. L. (2000). Empathy and Moral Development: Implications for Caring and Justice. Cambridge University Press.
• Geller, E. S., & Foley, J. (2009). Improving Safety: The Role of Behavioral Psychology. TMS Conference.
• Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence: Science and Practice. Pearson.