1.7: The external explanation

Question 1

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks)

Answer 1

3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform

Question 2

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.

Answer 2

Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures

Question 3

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.

Answer 3

Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority

Question 4

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

Answer 4

Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority

Question 5

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

First AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 5

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity

Question 6

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
Example

Answer 6

For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%

Question 7

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
What does this do?

Answer 7

This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience

Question 8

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However,

Answer 8

However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest

Question 9

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
What does this do?

Answer 9

This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience

Question 10

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

Second AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 10

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location

Question 11

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
Example

Answer 11

For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%

Question 12

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
What do Milgram’s findings into location suggest?

Answer 12

Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate

Question 13

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
What does this show?

Answer 13

This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience

Question 14

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

Third AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 14

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform

Question 15

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform.
Example

Answer 15

For example, Bickman (1974) found that when ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger or move away from a bus stop, 19% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes, 14% when dressed as a milkman, but 38% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
In Milgram’s experiment, the experimenter also wore a grey lab coat

Question 16

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform.
For example, Bickman (1974) found that when ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger or move away from a bus stop, 19% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes, 14% when dressed as a milkman, but 38% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
In Milgram’s experiment, the experimenter also wore a grey lab coat.
In a variation of Bickman’s study, what did he find?

Answer 16

In a variation of Bickman’s study, he found that people would even obey the guard when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests that they obeyed not because they felt forced, but because they believed that he had legitimate authority due to his uniform

Question 17

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform.
For example, Bickman (1974) found that when ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger or move away from a bus stop, 19% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes, 14% when dressed as a milkman, but 38% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
In Milgram’s experiment, the experimenter also wore a grey lab coat.
In a variation of Bickman’s study, he found that people would even obey the guard when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests that they obeyed not because they felt forced, but because they believed that he had legitimate authority due to his uniform.
What does this suggest?

Answer 17

This suggests that uniform is a valid variable affecting obedience

Question 18

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform.
For example, Bickman (1974) found that when ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger or move away from a bus stop, 19% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes, 14% when dressed as a milkman, but 38% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
In Milgram’s experiment, the experimenter also wore a grey lab coat.
In a variation of Bickman’s study, he found that people would even obey the guard when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests that they obeyed not because they felt forced, but because they believed that he had legitimate authority due to his uniform.
This suggests that uniform is a valid variable affecting obedience.

Fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 18

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that Milgram’s findings from his variations support a situational explanation of obedience, as the proximity of the experimenter, the location of the study and the presence of a uniform are all factors within the situation that influence obedience, but this perspective has been criticised by Mandel (1998), who argues that it offers an excuse or ‘alibi’ (obedience alibi) for evil behaviour

Question 19

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform.
For example, Bickman (1974) found that when ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger or move away from a bus stop, 19% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes, 14% when dressed as a milkman, but 38% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
In Milgram’s experiment, the experimenter also wore a grey lab coat.
In a variation of Bickman’s study, he found that people would even obey the guard when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests that they obeyed not because they felt forced, but because they believed that he had legitimate authority due to his uniform.
This suggests that uniform is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that Milgram’s findings from his variations support a situational explanation of obedience, as the proximity of the experimenter, the location of the study and the presence of a uniform are all factors within the situation that influence obedience, but this perspective has been criticised by Mandel (1998), who argues that it offers an excuse or ‘alibi’ (obedience alibi) for evil behaviour.
In his view,

Answer 19

In his view, it is offensive to survivors of the Holocaust to suggest that the Nazis were simply obeying orders and were victims themselves of situational factors beyond their control

Question 20

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform.
For example, Bickman (1974) found that when ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger or move away from a bus stop, 19% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes, 14% when dressed as a milkman, but 38% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
In Milgram’s experiment, the experimenter also wore a grey lab coat.
In a variation of Bickman’s study, he found that people would even obey the guard when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests that they obeyed not because they felt forced, but because they believed that he had legitimate authority due to his uniform.
This suggests that uniform is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that Milgram’s findings from his variations support a situational explanation of obedience, as the proximity of the experimenter, the location of the study and the presence of a uniform are all factors within the situation that influence obedience, but this perspective has been criticised by Mandel (1998), who argues that it offers an excuse or ‘alibi’ (obedience alibi) for evil behaviour.
In his view, it is offensive to survivors of the Holocaust to suggest that the Nazis were simply obeying orders and were victims themselves of situational factors beyond their control.

Fifth AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 20

The fifth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that a strength of Milgram’s variations is a high degree of control of variables, as he systematically altered one variable at a time, such as proximity, to see what effect it would have on the level of obedience

Question 21

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform.
For example, Bickman (1974) found that when ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger or move away from a bus stop, 19% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes, 14% when dressed as a milkman, but 38% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
In Milgram’s experiment, the experimenter also wore a grey lab coat.
In a variation of Bickman’s study, he found that people would even obey the guard when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests that they obeyed not because they felt forced, but because they believed that he had legitimate authority due to his uniform.
This suggests that uniform is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that Milgram’s findings from his variations support a situational explanation of obedience, as the proximity of the experimenter, the location of the study and the presence of a uniform are all factors within the situation that influence obedience, but this perspective has been criticised by Mandel (1998), who argues that it offers an excuse or ‘alibi’ (obedience alibi) for evil behaviour.
In his view, it is offensive to survivors of the Holocaust to suggest that the Nazis were simply obeying orders and were victims themselves of situational factors beyond their control.

The fifth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that a strength of Milgram’s variations is a high degree of control of variables, as he systematically altered one variable at a time, such as proximity, to see what effect it would have on the level of obedience.

Answer 21

All the other procedures and variables were kept the same as the study was replicated over and over again with more than 1,000 participants in total

Question 22

Evaluate Milgram’s situational explanation for obedience (16 marks)/Outline and evaluate situational variables affecting obedience (16 marks).
3 situational variables that can affect obedience are proximity, location and uniform.
Proximity is how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions when obeying authority figures.
Location is the degree to which a location contributes to the legitimacy of authority.
Uniform is the degree to which the wearing of uniforms contributes to the legitimacy of authority.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for proximity.
For example, Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and the learner were in the same room as each other, so that the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience dropped to 40% from 65%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate, increasing the realisation of their actions, obedience dropped further to 30%.
This illustrates the effect proximity has on obedience levels and suggests that proximity is a valid variable affecting obedience.
However, there is contradictory research into proximity, as Mandel (1998) found that mass killing of Jews was undertaken in close proximity of the victims without protest.
This invalidates Milgram’s research and suggests that proximity does not affect obedience.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for location.
For example, Milgram (1974) performed a variation of his study in an office block in a run-down part of town and found that obedience dropped to 45% from 65%.
Milgram’s findings into location suggest that the change in location from Yale University reduced the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure giving the orders, leading to a significant drop in the obedience rate.
This shows that location is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is also research support for uniform.
For example, Bickman (1974) found that when ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger or move away from a bus stop, 19% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes, 14% when dressed as a milkman, but 38% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
In Milgram’s experiment, the experimenter also wore a grey lab coat.
In a variation of Bickman’s study, he found that people would even obey the guard when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests that they obeyed not because they felt forced, but because they believed that he had legitimate authority due to his uniform.
This suggests that uniform is a valid variable affecting obedience.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that Milgram’s findings from his variations support a situational explanation of obedience, as the proximity of the experimenter, the location of the study and the presence of a uniform are all factors within the situation that influence obedience, but this perspective has been criticised by Mandel (1998), who argues that it offers an excuse or ‘alibi’ (obedience alibi) for evil behaviour.
In his view, it is offensive to survivors of the Holocaust to suggest that the Nazis were simply obeying orders and were victims themselves of situational factors beyond their control.

The fifth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that a strength of Milgram’s variations is a high degree of control of variables, as he systematically altered one variable at a time, such as proximity, to see what effect it would have on the level of obedience.
All the other procedures and variables were kept the same as the study was replicated over and over again with more than 1,000 participants in total.
What does this mean?

Answer 22

This means that the variations have high internal validity and so a cause and effect relationship can be established, allowing conclusions to be drawn