A Level Psychology OCR Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In the context of the Milgram experiment, the principle of informed consent was particularly compromised. Participants were led to believe that they were participating in a study on learning and memory, rather than the true nature of the research, which was to investigate obedience to authority figures. This deception prevented participants from fully understanding what they were agreeing to when they volunteered for the experiment.

Informed consent is a fundamental ethical requirement in psychological research, as it ensures that participants are fully aware of the scope of the study, the procedures involved, and any potential risks or consequences. By not providing this crucial information, the researchers violated the participants' autonomy and right to make an informed choice about their involvement. This highlights the importance of transparency in research design and the ethical responsibility researchers have to their participants.