Factors affecting obedience

Question 1

What are individual factors affecting obedience?

Answer 1

• Right wing authoritarianism more likely to obey.
• Internal/external locus of control. External more likely to obey due to blaming others for their responsibilities.
• Level of empathy, more empathetic may be less likely to obey.

Question 2

What are cultural factors affecting obedience?

Answer 2

• Collectivist cultures (e.g. China, Korea) are more likely to obey as the needs of the group are more important than the needs of the individual.
• Indivdualistic cultures (e.g. USA, UK) are less likely to obey as the needs of the individual are more important than the needs of the group.

Question 3

What are gender factors affecting obedience?

Answer 3

Females are socialised to be more obedient than males.

Question 4

What are situational factors affecting obedience?

Answer 4

Momentum of compliance, increasing the demands in increments.
Strength of Authority
Immediacy of authority.
Number of authority.

Question 5

Supporting evidence for Individual factors

Answer 5

RWA - supported by Milgram and Elms who found that higher F scale ratings were found in those who went to 450V.

Question 6

Supporting evidence for cultural factors

Answer 6

A study found that individualistic cultures are more likely to act independently whereas collectivist cultures are more likely to obey the needs of the group.

Question 7

Conflicting evidence for gender factors

Answer 7

Kilham and Mann found that males were more obedient than females (40% vs 16%)

Question 8

Supporting evidence for gender factors

Answer 8

Sheridan and King found that women were more obedient when shocking a puppy (100% vs 54%)

Question 9

Supporting evidence for situational factors

Answer 9

Momentum of compliance was used in Milgrams 15V shocks rather than starting at 300V.
Proximity - Milgram V7 - obedience dropped to 22.5% when orders were given over the phone.