Milgrams Situational Variables Affecting Obedience Flashcards
What are the three AO3 PEELS to evauate milgrams situational variables affecting obedience?
RTS - Bickman - diff outfits
Weakness - gender bias
Alternative exp - dispositional explanation
P
(RTS - Bickman)
RTS - field exp conducted by Bickman
E
He had confederates dress in 3 diff outfits such as a security guard, milkman and business man and ask ppl walking past for money to pay for parking or to pick up litter
E
It was found ppts were twice as likely to follow instructions of conf wearing security guard rather than business man
L
Therefore supporting power of uniform as a variable of obedience as ppts were more likely to follow orders, aswell as showing how variable affects obedience in rl setting
P
(Gender bias)
However, situational factors affecting obedience can be criticised for gender bias as his sample was males only
E
This means it is difficult to gen to females as they may have obeyed diff to variables affecting obedience
E
- as some research suggests theyre more obedient regardless of situational variable as their gender roles may dictate theyre more submissive
- e.g. it was found when ordered to give electric shocks to puppy, females obeyed 100% of the time whereas males obeyed approx 50% of the time
L
- weakening ext val as variables may affect obedience in some ppl more than others
P
(Alt exp - dispositional factors)
An alt exp for obedience is dispositional factots such as the authoritarian personality
E
This would argue obedience is due to int characteristics of person e.g. personality, rather than situational factors
E
Suggesting obedience may not just be due to proximity, location and uniform which are all ext factors
L
Therefore, this weakens research into situational variables affecting obedience, as it isnt the sole exp
