Factors Affecting Obedience and Dissent:

Question 1

How do situational factors affect obedience?

Answer 1

The presence of role models can cause obedience to be higher or lower.

Question 2

Supporting Evidence: Milgram Experiment 13:

Answer 2

I: Showed that orders given by an ordinary man will lead to lower levels of obedience because their authority was seen as less legitimate compared to those who are wearing uniform.
J: This suggests that it’s not about the presence of the authority
figure but who the authority figures is, that caused obedience.

Question 3

Supporting Evidence: Burger:

Answer 3

I: Found in the model refusal condition 63% of participants were
obedient.
J: This shows that people follow what is seen as the
behavioural norms of a group who follow orders of an authority figure.

Question 4

Critical Evidence: Blass:

Answer 4

I: Suggests that in Milgram’s study the 35% who did not obey had internal locus of control as they did not want responsibility for hurting the learner.
J: This shows that personality may be a factor that affects levels of obedience not the situation.

Question 5

Critical Evidence: Adorno:

Answer 5

I: Found that those with an authoritarian
personality were more likely to be obey those with higher status.
J: This suggests that obedience is due to personality and not the
situation.

Question 6

How does Authoritarian personality affect obedience?

Answer 6

Will show high levels of obedience to authority figures.

Question 7

How does Locus of Control affect obedience?

Answer 7

Internal: Tend to blame themselves so more likely to be resistant to obedience.
External: Tend to blame others so more likely to obey.

Question 8

Supporting Evidence: Miller:

Answer 8

I: Found that people with an external locus of control were more likely to pick up a live wire when told to compared to those with internal
locus of control.
J: Showing that personality affects obedience levels.

Question 8

Supporting Evidence: Adorno:

Answer 8

I: Found that those with an authoritarian personality were more likely to be obey those with higher status.
J: This suggests that agency theory is a limited explanation as it doesn’t
account for the impact of personality figure.

Question 9

Critical Evidence: Sheridan and King:

Answer 9

I: found that 54% of males and 100% of female participants continued to give maximum electric shocks to a
puppy.
J: This shows that obedience is linked to gender and not
personality.

Question 10

Critical Evidence: Burger:

Answer 10

I: Found in the model refusal condition 63% of participants were
obedient.
J: Showing that people follow what is seen as the behavioural norms of a group who follow orders of an authority figure and not just
the presence of the authority figure.

Question 11

How does Gender affect obedience?

Answer 11

Gender Socialisation is a process when a child learns the social norms and roles for their gender.
However most research shows no real difference between gender and obedience.

Question 12

Supporting Evidence: Sheridan and King:

Answer 12

I: Found that 54% of males and
100% of female participants continued to give maximum
electric shocks to a puppy.
J: The participants had no doubt
that the puppy was receiving the electric shocks. = Females
more obedient

Question 13

Supporting Evidence: Kilham:

Answer 13

I: Replicated Milgram’s research in
Australia and found that males were obedient 40% and females 16%.
J: This shows that there is a gender difference in obedience levels. = Males more obedient

Question 14

Critical Evidence: Burger:

Answer 14

I: Found very little difference between obedience rates for
gender in the base condition males were obedient 66.7% and female 72.7%.
J: This shows that gender is not a factor affecting obedience levels.

Question 15

Critical Evidence: Blass:

Answer 15

I: Suggests that in Milgram’s study the 35% who did not
obey had internal locus of control as they did not want responsibility
for hurting the learner.
J: This shows that personality may be a factor
that affects levels of obedience and not gender.

Question 16

How does Cultural Factors affect obedience?

Answer 16

Individualistic: Emphasise Individualism, less likely to obey or conform.
Collectivist: Stress the importance of the group as a whole, social harmony, more likely to be obedient.
Power distance index: High PDI more obedient. Low PDI less obedient.

Question 17

Supporting Evidence: Kilham:

Answer 17

I: Found obedience levels of 28% in
Australia which as a very low PDI score.
J: This shows that how we are socialised within our culture affects levels of obedience.

Question 18

Supporting Evidence: Dolinski:

Answer 18

I: found that Poland that has a high PDI had an obedience level at 90%.
J: This shows that culture can affect how obedient people are in different societies

Question 19

Critical Evidence: Blass 1991:

Answer 19

I: Suggests that in Milgram’s study the 35% who did not obey had internal locus of control as they did not want responsibility for
hurting the learner.
J: This shows that personality may be a factor that affects levels of obedience and not culture.

Question 20

Critical Evidence: Blass 1998:

Answer 20

I: Reviewed replications of Milgram worldwide and found obedience rates of 60.94% in the USA and 65.94% elsewhere.
J: This suggests that culture may have little impact on obedience as it is a universal behavioural trait.