Situational Variables

Question 1

What were the 3 situational variables that Milgram tested?

Answer 1

• proximity = the physical closeness or the teacher to either the learner or the experimenter
• location = where the experiment took place
• uniform = what the experimenter is wearing

Question 2

What are the results of Milgram changing proximity?

Answer 2

• in the original study the teacher and learner were in different rooms and the the obedience rate was 65%
• in the proximity variation study the teacher and learner were in the same room and obedience rate dropped to 40%
• in the touch proximity study the teacher had to force the learners hand on the shock plate so obedience dropped further to 30%
• in the remote instructions study the order was given over the phone so obedience dropped to 20.5%
• decreasing proximity allows us to psychologically distance ourselves from the consequences of our actions

Question 3

What are the results of Milgram changing location?

Answer 3

• Milgram conducted the same experiment from a run-down office block instead of a scientific lab and results dropped to 47.5%
• participants were more obedient in the original location because saw the place as having legitimacy and authority

Question 4

What are the results of Milgram changing uniform?

Answer 4

• in the baseline study the experimenter wore a grey lab coat and obedience was 65%
• in the uniform variation study the experimenter was dressed to look like a random member of the public so obedience rates dropped to 20%
• uniforms encourage obedience because they are recognised symbols of authority

Question 5

What are 2 strengths of situational variables?

Answer 5

• strength of research support from Bickman (1974) who conducted a field experiment in New York and got 3 people in different outfits to ask people to pick up litter, the one dressed as a guard had twice as many people obey him than the milkman did
• strength of cross-culture replications of the study by Meeus (1986) who did a similar study but with job interviews where they were ordered to say stressful things and 90% obeyed - generalisable

Question 6

What are 2 limitations of situational variables?

Answer 6

• limitation of low internal validity from Orne and Holland (1968) who stated that participants were aware that the study was fake and so play-acted and appealed to demand characteristics which was particularly visible in the uniform variation study
• limitation of the danger of situational perspective as Mandel (1998) viewed Milgram’s experiment as being offensive to holocaust survivors by implying that the Nazi’s were simply following orders and that anyone would’ve done it - ethically poor