Video: Obedience (1962), Released by Alexander Street Press.

Project description

Video Assignment -Due Tuesday, 12/2, at 2:00 (for section 001), or 3:30 (for section 002)

Video: Obedience (1962), Released by Alexander Street Press.

As noted in the syllabus, what you turn in for this assignment should be approximately 2-3 pages in length, double spaced, Times New Roman font, with 1 inch margins all around.

This video depicts one of the most famous (if not the most famous) social psychology experiments ever conducted. However, it also has been cited as having important implications for managers.

As you view the video for this assignment, I would like you to reflect on and respond to the following three questions:

1. What does the video suggest about the power of managers/leaders? What may it suggest about managers/leaders responsibilities and obligations toward followers? Does it suggest anything regarding the nature of followers as well?

2. What types of power do you believe the experimenter (Stanly Milgram) in the film possesses? What types of influence tactics do you believe are used? How effective are they? Be sure to provide a few specific examples from the film supporting your position.

3. If the experiment was repeated today, how much do you think the results would differ, if at all? Why do you believe so? In what ways do you believe the context of the experiment (e.g., location, types of subjects, etc.) may influence the results, if at all?

If you are interested in reading more about Milgrams experiment and his results, below is a link to the original article detailing his study and findings from the Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/terrace/w1001/readings/milgram.pdf