Free 11th Grade Milgram Obedience Lesson Plan

Topic: The Milgram obedience experiment

Objectives & Outcomes

• To understand what factors influence an individual's obedience to authority in the Milgram experiment
• To understand the implications of the Milgram experiment on today's society

Materials

• A copy of the Milgram experiment record sheet for each student
• A copy of the participants' answers sheet for each student
• A copy of the participants' profile sheet for each student

Basic Concept

The Milgram experiment was designed to investigate how obedient individual would be to orders received from authority. It is named after its creator, Stanley Milgram, who was a psychologist at Yale University in the 1960s.

• The experiment involved a 'teacher' and a 'learner'. The learner was placed in another room and was told to memorize a list of word; the teacher was to read out the words to the learner, who had to memorize them. If the learner made a mistake, the teacher had to administer a electric shock to the learner via a shock generator. As the shocks increased in strength, the learner was supposed to make louder and louder screams.
• The experiment was set up in a way that the teacher could not see the learner, and was in fact speaking to an imposter. The experimenter would instruct the teacher to administer the shocks, and a confederate would act as the learner and make the appropriate noises.
• The aim of the experiment was to see at what point the teacher would stop giving the supposedly painful shocks, and if the teacher would continue following orders even if they seemed inhumane.

Objectives

• To understand what factors influence an individual's obedience to authority in the Milgram experiment
• To understand the implications of the Milgram experiment on today's society

Learning activities

Introduction:

• Ask the students if they have heard of the Milgram experiment before.
• Ask the students what they think the experiment was about and what they think might have happened during the experiment.
• Explain that the experiment was designed to investigate how obedient individual would be to orders received from authority.
• Ask the students what factors might influence an individual's obedience to authority.
• Write the following list on the board:
• superior status
• fear of punishment-fear of disapproval-anticipated gain-social pressure-personal predisposition-personal values
• ask the students to discuss the list and come up with other factors that might influence obedience to authority.
• Introduction to the Milgram experiment:
• Show the students some pictures or videos of the Milgram experiment.
• Explain that in the Milgram experiment, a 'teacher' and a 'learner' were involved. The learner was placed in another room and was told to memorize a list of word; the teacher was to read out the words to the learner, who had to memorize them. If the learner made a mistake, the teacher had to administer a electric shock to the learner via a shock generator. As the shocks increased in strength, the learner was supposed to make louder and louder screams.
• The experiment was set up in a way that the teacher could not see the learner, and was in fact speaking to an imposter. The experimenter would instruct the teacher to administer the shocks, and a confederate would act as the learner and make the appropriate noises.
• The aim of the experiment was to see at what point the teacher would stop giving the supposedly painful shocks, and if the teacher would continue following orders even if they seemed inhumane.
• Ask the students if they can think of any reasons why the teacher might continue administering the shocks.
• Explain that the experiment was designed to investigate how obedient individual would be to orders received from authority.
• Ask the students what they think the implications of the Milgram experiment are for today's society.
• Write the following list on the board:
• Superior status
• Fear of punishment-Fear of disapproval-Anticipated gain-Social pressure-Personal predisposition-Personal values
• ask the students to discuss the list and come up with other implications for today's society.

Step 2: Obedience in modern society

• ask the students to think of examples of obedience in modern society.
• write the following on the board:
• following traffic rules-abiding by the law-following the instructions of a teacher-following the instructions of a doctor-Following the instructions of a police officer
• ask the students to discuss the list and come up with other examples of obedience in modern society.
• discussion: how is obedience different or the same in modern society as compared to the Milgram experiment? What can be done to prevent or reduce obedience to authority?
• wrap up: -ask the students to think of a situation in which they had to show obedience to authority. How did they feel about it? How do they think they would have acted if they were in the place of the Milgram experimenter? How do they think they would have acted if they were in the place of the teacher in the modern day examples?
• Debriefing: -ask the students to reflect on their own actions during the activity. Did they obey or disobey the authority figures? Did they think about disobeying, but decided not to? Did they have any thoughts or feelings about the situation?
• Explain that the aim of the activity was to raise awareness of the Milgram experiment, and to highlight the importance of thinking critically and critically about the actions of authority figures.
• ask the students to think of a situation in which they had to show obedience to authority. How did they feel about it? How do they think they would have acted if they were in the place of the Milgram experimenter? How do they think they would have acted if they were in the place of the teacher in the modern day examples?
• Debriefing: -ask the students to reflect on their own actions during the activity. Did they obey or disobey the authority figures? Did they think about disobeying, but decided not to? Did they have any thoughts or feelings about the situation?
• Explain that the aim of the activity was to raise awareness of the Milgram experiment, and to highlight the importance of thinking critically and critically about the actions of authority figures.
• ask the students to discuss the list and come up with other examples of obedience in modern society.
• discussion: how is obedience different or the same in modern society as compared to the Milgram experiment? What can be done to prevent or reduce obedience to authority?
• wrap up: -ask the students to think of a situation in which they had to show obedience to authority. How did they feel about it? How do they think they would have acted if they were in the place of the Milgram experimenter? How do they think they would have acted if they were in the place of the teacher in the modern day examples?
• Debriefing: -ask the students to reflect on their own actions during

the activity. Did they obey or disobey the authority figures? Did they think about disobeying, but decided not to? Did they have any thoughts or feelings about the situation?

• Explain that the aim of the activity was to raise awareness of the Milgram experiment, and to highlight the importance of thinking critically and critically about the actions of authority figures.

Closure:

• Ask students to share their thoughts and reflections on the activity.
• Ask students to share any personal experiences they may have had with obeying or disobeying authority figures.
• Ask students to share any personal thoughts or feelings about the Milgram experiment.
• Ask students to reflect on the importance of thinking critically about the actions of other people, including authority figures.
• Ask students to reflect on the importance of thinking critically about the actions of themselves, including their own actions as authority figures.

Assessment:

• Observe students during the independent practice to see if they are able to effectively discuss the Milgram experiment and their personal experiences.
• Evaluate students' written reflections for understanding of the Milgram experiment and their personal experiences.
• Quiz students on the basic facts of the Milgram experiment.