Situational Variables Flashcards
(12 cards)
What are the 3 situational variables
Proximity
location
uniform
A situational variable is
An explanation based on environmental factors surrounding the individual
Proximity is
The physical closeness or distance between the authority figure and the person they’re giving orders to
Proximity in Milgrims studies
The proximity between the teacher and learner
When they’re in the same room - 40%
When the teacher is forced to hold the learners hand on an electric shock plate - 30%
When the experimenter gave orders over the phone - 20.5%
Location is
The place where the order is issued eg. The status or prestige associated with it
Location in Milgrims experiment
Original study at Yale - 65% obedience
Variation at a run down office - 47.5% obedience
Uniform is
What the authority figure is wearing
Uniform in Milgrims study
The experimenter in a lab coat was called away and replaced with a member of the public - 20%
Order the variables
-Original-60%
-Location-47.5%
-Teacher+Learner in the same room-40%
-Teacher forces learners hand on shock plate-30%
-Experimenter gives phone orders-20.5%
-Uniform-20%
Research support
-Bickman
-3 male researchers dressed as civilians, milkmen, police officers and give random orders to strangers like ‘stand on the other side of this pole’
-80% obeyed police officers
-40% obeyed civilian
Socially sensitive
-Can’t be used as an alibi or excuse for committing prejudice acts
-Holocaust-‘just doing their jobs’
-removes personal blame and responsibility
-trivialises genocide
Studied across cultures
-Dutch participants orders to ask stressful questions to a confederate at a job interview
