1.5 Social Influence | Obedience: Situational Variables Flashcards
Define situational variables.
Features of the immediate physical and social environment which may influence a person’s behaviour (such as proximity, location and uniform).
Define proximity.
The physical closeness or distance of an authority figure to the person they are giving an order to. Also refers to the physical closeness of the Teacher to the Learner in Milgram’s studies.
What happened in the touch proximity variation?
The Teacher had to force the Learner’s hand onto an electroshock plate when he refused to answer a question
What happened to obedience levels in TP variation?
They dropped from 65% to 30%
What happened to obedience levels in RI variation?
Obedience fell to 20.5%
What was a behaviour which was common in the RI variation?
The participants pretended to give shocks
What impact does increased distance have on obedience levels?
This results in people being able to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions
Define location.
The place where an order is issued. The relevant factor that influences obedience is the status or prestige associated with the location.
What impact did location have on obedience rate?
Obedience fell to 47.5%
Define uniform.
People in positions of authority often have a specific outfit that is symbolic of their authority, for example police officers and judges. This indicates that they are entitled to our obedience.
