Factors Affecting Obedience and Dissent - Gender & Personality Flashcards
(30 cards)
Who said that women are more obedient than men?
Sheridan and King (1972)
Sheridan and King 1972 findings:
Participants were ordered to administer real electric shocks to live puppies:
100% of females obeyed
54% of males obeyed
Who suggested that men are more obedient?
Kilham and Mann (1974)
Kilham and Mann 1974 findings:
They replicated Milgram’s study in Austria and found a rate of 28% obedience:
40% of males obeyed
16% of females obeyed
Who suggested than moral decision making is guided by different principles in men and women?
Gilligan (1982)
What is moral decision making guided by in males?
The principle of ‘ethic of justice’:
- equality
- fairness
- detached approach to avoid bias
What is moral decision making guided by in females?
The principle of ‘ethic of care’:
- interpersonal relationship
- nurturing
- supporting those in need
Why are males more likely to be more obedient in terms of destructive obedience (Gilligan)?
Due to their sense of obligation towards authority figures.
Why are females less likely to be more obedient in terms of destructive obedience (Gilligan)?
Due to their desire to support the person being harmed.
What would happen in Milgram’s studies if Gilligan’s theory was applied to it?
Males may be more swayed by the scientific goals of the study (the greater good) whereas females may be more concerned with the wellbeing of the learner.
Strength for Gilligan 1982:
Gilligan and Attanucci 1988:
Participants were interviewed on real-life moral dilemmas and reasoning. Overall, men favoured a justice orientation and women favoured a care orientation. The difference was highly significant.
Weakness for Gilligan 1982:
Blass 1999:
He summarised the findings of 9 Milgram styled studies that included both men and women. In all but one case there was no significant observed difference in levels of obedience between genders.
Who proposed locus of control and when?
Rotter 1966
Internal locus of control:
If someone has an internal locus of control they:
- take greater responsibility for their own actions
- believe they are in control of what happens to them
External locus of control:
If someone has an external locus of control they:
- take less responsibility for their own actions
- believe what happens to them is governed by other people and chance factors
What are externals more likely to do when taking orders?
Be obedient.
What are internals more likely to do when taking orders?
- Defy orders
- Show dissent
Dissent:
Having opinions that differ from those held by others (refusing to carry out orders in terms of obedience).
Strength of locus of control:
Miller 1975:
Participants were asked to grip live electrical wires by either a high status or low status experimenter. Externals obeyed the higher status experimenter more than the lower status, whereas, internals were unaffected by status.
Weakness of locus of control:
Schurz 1985:
Austrian participant were asked to administer painful doses of ultrasound to a female student. Obedient and disobedient participants did not significantly differ in their placement based on a locus of control questionnaire.
Application of factors affecting obedience:
Research in locus of control can be applied to human resources.
Some jobs require higher/lower levels of obedience.
To select suitable applicants in the HR department they might use a scale assessing locus of control.
Using personality tests in the process of recruitment might result in more successful matching of people and jobs.
Who came up with the authoritarian personality and when?
Adorno et al 1950
What do harsh styles of parenting lead to?
Children developing personality traits such as: - destructiveness - toughness - cynicism All labeled authoritarianism.
When/where did Adorno believe the authoritarian personality was rife in?
Germany, fist half of the 20th century.
