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Methodology of the Milgram Experiment

The methodology of Stanley Milgram's obedience experiment involved initially recruiting 40 men and deceiving them into thinking they were in a study to improve learning and memory. Participants, acting as 'teachers,' were instructed to teach other students ('learners') and administer escalating electric shocks for incorrect answers. The participants believed they were delivering shocks that increased in 15-volt increments, up to a maximum of 450 volts. A key part of the procedure was the learner, a confederate, acting out a script of increasing distress, which included crying for help, begging the teacher to stop, and complaining of heart trouble. The central deception was that no actual shocks were administered.

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Updated 2026-05-18

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