Deck 9: Who Says It: Charisma, Authority, and the Controversial Milgram Study

Question 1

Which of the following is not one of the core characteristics of charisma?

A) Credibility
B) Dynamism
C) Authority
D) Social Attractiveness

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Authority is best understood as influencing others through

A) internalization
B) personality
C) affective processes
D) compliance

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is not an example of a leader that used charisma to persuade?

A) Martin Luther King Jr
B) Ronald Reagan
C) Adolf Hitler
D) All of the above used charisma to persuade

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The results of the 2009 Milgram replication experiment could best be described as

A) Supporting the findings of the Milgram study
B) Failing to replicate the findings of the Milgram study
C) Finding strong evidence to oppose the original Milgram study
D) Differing so strongly in experimental methods as to be inapplicable to the original Milgram study.

Question 5

Write an essay in which you describe the Milgram experiment, including the components of its experimental design, the purpose of the study, and its findings. In the aftermath, what criticisms of the study emerged? What does the Milgram experiment teach us about persuasion?

Question 6

Compare and contrast the classic Milgram experiments with the January 2009 replication study by Jerry M. Burger. What are the key similarities and differences? If you were going to do a replication study, what would you have done the same or differently?

Question 7

If charisma can be used for both good and bad purposes, how can we best protect ourselves against those that would want to use it for ill? How can we recognize it when it is used for good?

Question 8

Can you think of some recent real life examples of the Milgram study in action, wherein people follow orders they know are wrong because they come from an authority? What are they?