Obedience Situational Vs

Question 1

What are the situational variables which affect obedience?

Answer 1

Proximity, location and uniform.

Question 2

Uniform

Answer 2

Diminishes legitimacy of authority- why should i listen to you? Uniform can give people status.

Question 3

Location

Answer 3

A legitimate setting with authority makes a person feel that their obedience is expected.

Question 4

Proximity

Answer 4

Decreased proximity allows people to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions.

Question 5

Milgram variation for proximity

Answer 5

Teacher + learner = obedience drop from 65% to 40%

Question 6

Milgram variation for location

Answer 6

Run down building instead of usual Yale location, obedience dropped to 47.5%

Question 7

Milgram variation for uniform

Answer 7

when researcher wears regular clothes, and not lab coat, obedience dropped to 20%

Question 8

Strength: Evidence of uniform’s affect

Answer 8

Bickman (1974)
Streets of NYC. Told strangers give coin to stranger.
89% obey when he dressed as guard
33% if dressed as milkman
Strength bc it supports Milgram’s conc- uniform conveys authority; factor causes obedience

Question 9

Weakness: There is no variable which guarantees everyone will obey

Answer 9

No research induces a 100% obedience rate.
E.g, in Milgram’s experiment 35% disobeyed at any point between 315 and 400V.
Weakness; sit variables don’t adequately explain obedience.

Question 10

Strength: Situational variables can be used in real life situations

Answer 10

E.g, teachers close to students (proximity) aids behaviour management. Lanyard identifies them as legitimate authority.
Strength; helps ppl w power know the power of sit variables.

Question 11

Weakness: Sit variables offer an excuse for obedience

Answer 11

IT’s been argued that sit variables offer an alibi for Nazi actions and other evil behaviour.
Weakness as this is incredibly offensive.