Strengths and Weaknesses (Milgram)
Using PEEL method (Point-Explanation-Example-Link)
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AS Level
Paper 1 Evaluation Essays
Strengths
- P – The study has high level of standardisation
- E – This is due to the use of controlled observation as a research method
- E – For example, all prods given by experimenter were the same and in order for all participants when they refuse to continue.
- L – The study have high reliability and can be replicated easily
- P – The study collected qualitative data
- E – Qualitative data is more in depth and allows researchers to explore rationale for a behaviour. It also complements quantitative data
- E – For example, it was observed that the participants showed signs of extreme stress such as sweating, trembling and seizures
- L – Researchers further understood that subjects’s behaviour were due to conflict between to not harm others or to obey authority
- P – The study collected quantitative data
- E – Quantitative data allowed for easier statistical analysis and comparison
- E – For example, all 40 subjects gave shocks to 300V while 26/40 subjects obeyed the orders & administered shocks to the highest level available, 450V
- L – Researches can draw more valid conclusions due to lower chances of misinterpretation
Weaknesses
- P – Deception was involved
- E – Participants cannot give full informed consent as they were unaware of the actual aim
- E – Participants were told that the study is about memory and punishment when in actual it’s about obedience
- L – The study did not fully comply to the ethical guidelines
- P – The study consisted of a gender bias sample
- E – Findings cannot be applied to both genders as there is different dynamics between genders
- E – Sample consist of 40 males from New Haven and surrounding communities, no females were involved
- L – Findings have low generalisability to the target population of both genders
- P – Participants were not protected from harm
- E – Participants suffered from psychological harm as they felt distress to face two conflicting emotions on whether to obey or to not harm others
- E – For example, observers in the study noted signs of extreme tension such as trembling, sweating and seizures
- L – Participants might suffer from change in their psychological aspect such as suffering from trauma