A breif essay outlining the various ethics used in Milgram's famous experiment

Milgram's experiment is not very ethical when compared to the BPS guidelines. Consent Milgram's subjects did have to consent to the experiment, but they weren't given enough knowledge to make an informed decision about it. As far as the subject was aware, they were 'standing in' for Milgram's partner, and were taking the role as his assistant. In actual fact, Milgram's partner was the person being 'shocked', and great deception was used from the outset. …

…tried to pressure the subject into continuing the experiment. Protection of Participants Some of the subjects could have been under intense psychological pressure when asked to carry out electric shocks on Milgram's assistant. Although the subject would have been told in the debrief that there were no shocked admitted, it could still adversely affect the subject because of the thoughts that they were willing to carry out such acts when asked by an authoritative figure.