Situational variable affecting obedience as investigated by Milgram

Question 1

what do situational variables form

Answer 1

Situational variables form an external explanation of obedience.

Question 2

Milgram’s variations of his procedure, performed after his main study identified several important situational factors:

Answer 2

Proximity
Location
Uniform

Question 3

what does proximity involve

Answer 3

Proximity involves how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions in obeying authority figures.

Question 4

How was this found in Milgram’s study(proximity)

Answer 4

When the physical distance between the teacher and the learner was made closer, participants were less able to divorce themselves from the consequences of their actions and so obedience rates were lower.

Question 5

Milgram’s finding (proximity)

Answer 5

Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and learner were in the same room as each other (proximity condition), so the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience declined from 62.5% to 40%.

Question 6

When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate (touch proximity condition),how much did obedience fall

Answer 6

30%

Question 7

what did the findings of proximity in Milgram’s study suggest

Answer 7

The closer the physical proximity between the teacher and learner, the more aware the teacher became of the consequences of his actions, and the less able they were to obey the given orders.

Question 8

Why is the location of an environment relevant

Answer 8

The location of an environment can be relevant to the amount of perceived legitimate authority a person giving orders is seen to have.

Question 9

where are obedience rates highest (location)

Answer 9

Obedience rates are often highest in institutionalised settings where obedience is instilled into members

Question 10

In Milgram’s variation in a run-down office block what did the obedience rates fall too

Answer 10

found that obedience fell from 62.5% (delivering 450v shock) to 47.5%.

Question 11

What does wearing a uniform do to obedience rates

Answer 11

The wearing of uniforms can add to the perception of legitimacy of authority, thus increasing obedience rates.

Question 12

In Milgram’s study what was the confederate researcher wearing

Answer 12

In Milgram’s study, the confederate researcher wore a grey lab coat to give him an air of authority.

Question 13

what did the grey lab coat in Milgram’s study convey

Answer 13

The grey lab coat conveyed power and authority, as a scientist.

Question 14

what did Bickman’s study entail

Answer 14

When ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger for a parking meter or move away from a bus stop

Question 15

what were the results of Bickman’s study

Answer 15

30% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes
47% when dressed as a milkman
76% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.

Question 16

What did Bickman’s study suggest

Answer 16

People would obey the guard even when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests they obeyed not because they felt forced to do so, but because they believed he had legitimate authority, which was conveyed by the uniform he wore.

Question 17

what did David Mandel claim about the ‘obedience alibi’

Answer 17

David Mandel (1998) argues that research into situational variables (proximity, location, uniform) offers an excuse or ‘alibi’ for evil behaviour and that Milgram’s findings have led to an oversimplified explanation of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.