Stanley Milgram, a Yale University social psychologist, conducted an experiment in 1963 that is considered to be one of the most famous unethical studies in social psychology

Stanley Milgram, a Yale University social psychologist, conducted an experiment in 1963 that is considered to be one of the most famous unethical studies in social psychology. This experiment was a behavioral study of obedience that involved subjects “administering” electrical shocks at the behest of the experimenter to actors recruited by Milgram to participate in the study.  

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

For this activity, watch the movie, Experimenter (streamable via Amazon or Sundance Now), and the video above, which provides additional insight into why Stanley Milgram wanted to conduct the study and shows actual footage from the study when participants were administering the shocks.

Consider:

• Do you think that the cost (i.e., the psychological harm) to the participants in the study was worth the knowledge we gained? Why or why not? 
• If we wanted to conduct Milgram’s study today, what would we need to change to meet today’s ethical standards? 
• How do you think the changes you outlined in response to the question above would impact the results of the study? Be sure to explain your reasoning. 

When responding to your colleagues, pretend that you are a member of an Internal Review Board (IRB) that is reviewing the “revised” Milgram study (i.e., the one that is taking today’s ethical standards into consideration). You need to determine whether the “revised” study sufficiently meets the ethical standards. To do this, you should ask follow-up questions and make suggestions for any additional changes that are needed. Be sure that your responses is rooted in the ethical standards discussed in Module 1.  

Your initial post is due by Thursday at 11:59 PM ET during the first week of the module. In addition, you are required to make 3 response posts on at least two different days following your initial post (i.e., you will need to be actively engaged in the discussion on three different days over the course of the two weeks). All response posts are due by Sunday of the second week at 11:59 PM ET.

All discussions combined are 25% of your final course grade.