A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

Milgram's experiment on obedience to authority is renowned for raising significant ethical concerns, particularly around the psychological well-being of the participants. The correct choice highlights that participants experienced psychological distress during the study. This distress arose as they were led to believe they were administering painful electric shocks to another person, creating a conflict between their moral beliefs and the instructions from the authority figure conducting the experiment.

The ethical implications stem from the intense anxiety and stress encountered by participants, who felt compelled to continue administering shocks despite their apparent discomfort. This raises concerns about the extent to which researchers should prioritize scientific inquiry over the psychological safety of participants. The study's design did not adequately protect participants from emotional harm, which has since prompted stricter ethical guidelines in psychological research to ensure that participants are safeguarded against similar distressing experiences in future studies.