Obedience

Question 1

Define the term of Obedience

Answer 1

This is a type of social influence where somebody acts in response to a direct order from a figure with
perceived authority. The person who receives the order may also respond in a way that they would have
not done without the order.

Question 2

What was the aim of Milgram’s research?

Answer 2

To investigate if individuals would obey the orders of an authority figure even if this led to negative
consequences

Question 3

What was the method of Milgram’s research?

Answer 3

Lab Experiment

Question 4

Where did Milgram’s research take place?

Answer 4

Yale University

Question 5

Sample for Milgram

Answer 5

Male

Question 6

What was the procedure of Milgram’s research?

Answer 6

Once the participant arrived at the university, they were introduced to another participant (who was
actually a confederate).
They drew lots, which were rigged, and the real participant was assigned the role of the ‘teacher’ and the confederate was always the learner.
The teacher’s job was to administrate a learning task and deliver ‘electric shocks’ to the learner (in
another room) if the learner got a question wrong.
The shocks began at 15 volts and increased in increments of 15 volts to a maximum of 450 volts.
The experimenter used prompts if the ‘teacher’ refused (this tested the obedience to authority):
* “Please continue (or please go on).”
* “The experiment requires that you continue.”
* “It is absolutely essential that you continue.”
* “You have no other choice; you must go on.”

Question 7

What happened when the ppt arrived at the University for Milgram’s research?

Answer 7

They were introduced to another participant (who was
actually a confederate).
They drew lots, which were rigged, and the real participant was assigned the role of the ‘teacher’ and the confederate was always the learner.

Question 8

What was the role of the teacher in Milgram’s research?

Answer 8

The teacher’s job was to administrate a learning task and deliver ‘electric shocks’ to the learner (in
another room) if the learner got a question wrong.

Question 9

What was the shock given by the teacher in Milgram’s original research?

Answer 9

The shocks began at 15 volts and increased in increments of 15 volts to a maximum of 450 volts.

Question 10

What were some prompts used by the experimenter in Milgram’s research?

Answer 10

• “Please continue (or please go on).”
• “The experiment requires that you continue.”
• “It is absolutely essential that you continue.”
• “You have no other choice; you must go on.”

Question 11

What were the findings of Milgram’s original research?

Answer 11

All ppts went to at least 300 volts
65% of ppts continued to the maximum 450 volts, showing high levels of obedience.

Question 12

How many ppt went to the maximum volts?

Answer 12

65%

Question 13

How many ppt went to at least 300 volts?

Answer 13

All

Question 14

What was the conclusion of Milgram’s original research?

Answer 14

Ordinary people are obedient to authority when asked to behave in an inhumane way. It is
not necessarily evil people who commit evil crimes but ordinary people who are just obeying orders.

Question 15

Name the three situational Variables affecting Obedience

Answer 15

proximity, location, uniform

Question 16

Proximity as a situational variable affecting obedience

Answer 16

How near or far (close) the ppt (teacher) is to the victim (learner) or experimenter
(authority figure).

• Obedience rates decrease when the teacher was required to force the learner’s hand onto the
  electric shock plate (touch proximity) obedience dropped to 30%
• Obedience rates decrease when the experimenter left the room and gave instructions to the
  teacher by telephone. In this variation obedience fell to 20.5%, which suggests that the closer an
  authority figure is to an individual, the more obedient that individual will be

Question 17

What were the obedient rates when the teacher was required to force the learner’s hand onto the electric shock plate?

Answer 17

Obedience dropped to 30%

Question 18

What were the obedient rates when the experimenter was in a different room to the teacher and gave instructions over the telephone?

Answer 18

20.5%

Question 19

Location as a situational variable affecting obedience

Answer 19

The original experiment was conducted in a prestigious university (Yale University).
* Obedience rates decrease when the location was changed to a run-down office in a run-down
part of town from 65% at Yale University to 48% in the run-down office. This is because when
the experiment was conducted in a run-down office the amount of perceived legitimate
authority of the experimenter was reduced.

Question 20

Where was the location for the location as a situational variable affecting obedience taken place?

Answer 20

run-down office in a run-down

Question 21

What did the obedience levels drop to for location?

Answer 21

From 65% to 48%

Question 22

Why did the obedience levels drop from Yale University to the run down place?

Answer 22

The amount of perceived legitimate authority of the experimenter was reduced

Question 23

Power of Uniform as a situational variable affecting obedience

Answer 23

In Milgram’s experiment the researcher wore a grey lab coat, which gave him an ‘air’ of
authority.
* Obedience rates decrease in one variation of Milgram’s study, when the role of the
experimenter was taken over by an ‘ordinary member of the public’ who wore everyday clothes.
In this variation obedience dropped to 20%.
This suggests that uniform does act as a strong visual authority symbol and a cue to act in an obedient manner, and that when not in uniform the perceived legitimate authority of the experimenter was reduced.

Question 24

How did the experimenter change clothes for power of uniform?

Answer 24

In the original experiment he wore a grey lab coat
In the variation he wore everyday clothes

Question 25

What did the obedience levels drop to for power of uniform?

Answer 25

To 20%

Question 26

What does power of uniform by Milgram suggest?

Answer 26

uniform does act as a strong visual authority symbol and a visual cue to act in an obedient manner

Question 27

Research to support situational variables affecting obedience is done by who?

Answer 27

Bickman

Question 28

What did Bickman do in his research?

Answer 28

He had confederates dress in three different outfits (a security guard, a milkman, and a businessman) and ask passers-by to pick up litter.

Question 29

What were the findings of Bickman's research?

Answer 29

Participants were twice as likely to follow the instructions of the confederate wearing a security guard uniform than the businessman.

Question 30

Why do Bickman's findings support power of Uniform as a situational variable affecting obedience?

Answer 30

Participants were more likely to follow these orders because uniform acted as a visual cue for legitimate authority, so obedience increases.

Question 31

Full AO3 on RTS power of uniform by Bickman

Answer 31

Research to support situational variables affecting obedience was a field experiment conducted by Bickman. He had confederates dress in three different outfits (a security guard, a milkman, and a businessman) and ask passers-by to pick up litter. It was found that participants were twice as likely to follow the instructions of the confederate wearing a security guard uniform than the businessman. This supports the power of uniform as participants were more likely to follow these orders because uniform acted as a visual cue for legitimate authority, so obedience increases. Therefore, increasing the validity of uniform as situational variable affecting obedience

Question 32

What is a weakness in Milgram's research?

Answer 32

Has gender bias as only a male sample was used

Question 33

Why is gender bias a weakness in Milgram's research?

Answer 33

This may mean it is difficult to generalise the findings to females, as they may have obeyed differently to the variables affecting obedience, for example, some research suggests females may be more obedient regardless of the situational variable because their gender roles may dictate that they be more submissive

Question 34

Who did research on how women are more obedient than men?

Answer 34

Sheridan and King

Question 35

What did Sheridan and King do and find?

Answer 35

Sheridan & King found that when ordered to give electric shocks to a puppy, females obeyed 100% of the time, compared to 54% of male participants

Question 36

What is an alternative explanation for obedience (AO3 for situational variables)

Answer 36

Dispositional factors The Authoritarian Personality. This would argue that obedience is due to internal characteristics of the person e.g. their personality, rather than situational factors. Therefore, this suggests that obedience may not just be due to proximity, location and uniform (external factors). This weakens the research into situational variables affecting obedience, as it is not the sole explanation.

Question 37

What are the 3 AO3 points for situational variables affecting obedience?

Answer 37

Bickman's research Milgram's research Gender bias in Milgram Alternative explanation of authoritarian personality

Question 38

What are the two explanations for obedience

Answer 38

Legitimacy of Authority figure Agentic State

Question 39

Explain Legitimacy of Authority figure as an explanation for obedience

Answer 39

Obedience increases when a person perceives that an authority figure has legitimate authority e.g. parents, teachers and police officers, and see them as being in charge. The authority they have is legitimate in the sense that it is agreed by society. We accept people’s credentials and believe they know what they are doing. It is ingrained in us to obey these people- even when we believe the order may be unethical or unjust.

Question 40

Why would the authority that someone has seem legitimate?

Answer 40

Because it is agreed by society and ingrained into us to obey these people from a young age, even when we believe that what they are doing is unjust

Question 41

Explain Agentic State as an explanation for obedience

Answer 41

Obedience increases when a person is in an agentic state. When they receive an order from an authority figure an agentic shift occurs where they move from being in a state where they take personal responsibility for their actions (an autonomous state) to a state where they believe they are acting on behalf of an authority figure (agentic state). When an individual is in the agentic state, they lose sense of personal responsibility and no longer feel guilty for their actions as they see themselves as carrying out the wishes of a more knowledgeable authority figure. Therefore, a person in an agentic state, will be more likely to obey.

Question 42

What are some characteristics of someone in an agentic state?

Answer 42

Lose sense of personal responsibility No longer feel guilt for their actions

Question 43

Who conducted research to support explanations of obedience?

Answer 43

Milgram and Hofling

Question 44

How does Milgram's research support explanations of obedience?

Answer 44

. Most of Milgram’s participants resisted giving the shocks at some point and often asked the experimenter questions such as ‘Who is responsible if the learner is harmed?’. When the experimenter responded ‘I am responsible’ the participant often continued to obey and give the electric shocks. This supports the agentic state as an explanation of obedience as once the participants no longer believed they were responsible, due to the experimenter taking responsibility, they were more obedient as an agentic shift had occurred. Therefore, increasing the validity of agentic state as an explanation of obedience.

Question 45

Explain Hofling's procedure in his research

Answer 45

He conducted a study using nurses on a hospital ward who were ordered by an unknown doctor to give a dangerous dose of a drug to patients via a telephone.

Question 46

What were the findings of Hofling's research?

Answer 46

21 out of the 22 nurses agreed to give the medication even though they knew not to take orders over the phone

Question 47

Why does Hofling's research support explanations of obedience?

Answer 47

the doctor had more authority than the nurses, moreover, it could also support the agentic state as the nurses may have felt that the doctors were ultimately responsible as the authority figure, and this is why they obeyed.

Question 48

What is one strength of Hofling's research?

Answer 48

Practical applications. It is based on the principle that the nurses obeyed because they felt they had to obey the authority figure due to the doctor’s legitimate authority and felt reduced responsibility for their actions of giving the medication. This has led to the use of this research in the training of nurses to reduce the likelihood of engaging in blind obedience and so they feel confident to challenge the legitimate authority of doctors.

Question 49

What are the 4 AO3 points for explanations of obedience?

Answer 49

Milgram's study where there is an agentic state Hofling's nurse study Practical applications of Hofling Alternative explanation which is dispositional factors

Question 50

What is the dispositional explanation of obedience?

Answer 50

Authoritarian personality

Question 51

How does the authoritarian personality develop?

Answer 51

The authoritarian personality develops from strict parenting during an individual’s childhood e.g. extremely strict discipline, making them more obedient to authority figure due to fear of punishment

Question 52

What is the authoritarian personality?

Answer 52

The personality traits include showing extreme respect for perceived authority and submission to people in perceived authority as they see them as superior. Therefore increasing their obedience rates. Furthermore they have strict adherence to social rules and hierarchies, which increases obedience further.

Question 53

How is the authoritarian personality measured?

Answer 53

using the F-Scale questionnaire

Question 54

Research to support the authoritarian personality was conducted by who?

Answer 54

Milgram

Question 55

What did Milgram do to support the authoritarian personality

Answer 55

interviewed participants who had taken part in Milgram’s experiment and asked them to complete the F scale questionnaire to measure their levels of authoritarianism.

Question 56

What did Milgram find when he used the F scale questionnaire?

Answer 56

higher levels of authoritarianism among those participants classified as obedient (who gave electric shocks to 450V) compared with those classified as defiant. This support the dispositional explanation because it shows how internal factors such as personality can lead to increased levels of obedience.