Bocchiaro Flashcards
What was the main aim of Bocchiaro’s study?
To investigate the rates of obedience, disobedience and whistle-blowing in a situation where no physical violence was involved but where it was quite clear that the instructions were ethically wrong.
What were 2 additional aims to Bocchiaro’s study?
-To investigate the accuracy of people’s estimates of o,d and WB in this situation.
-To investigate the role of dispositional factors in O,D and WB.
Give details about Bocchiaro’s pilot study?
8 pilot studies, involving a total of 92 ps, were carried out to ensure that the procedure was both credible and ethically acceptable for ps. It was found that from the ps perspective the procedure was both believable and ethical.
Describe the sample in Bocchiaro’s main study
Undergraduate students from the VU university of Amsterdam. 149ps took part in the main study (96 WOMEN AND 53 MEN) with a mean age of 20.8 years. The sample consisted of volunteers recruited by flyers posted in the university cafeteria.
In Bocchiaro’s study how many people were surveyed to find out how they would responded in experimental situation?
138
What is a basic overview of the procedure in Bocchiaro’s study?
Ps were met with a a stern experimenter who informed them that they were carrying out research into sensory deprivation.They aimed to carry out a similar study but were waiting for ethical approval from the university. Each p were instructed to write a statement to convince other students to take part u the sensory deprivation procedure. The ps was then left alone in the room with a computer, mailbox and ethics committee forms. after 7 minutes the experimenter returned and gave the ps a set of dispositional tests.
What words were ps told to talk about and not include in Bocchiaro’s study?
At least 2 from:’exciting’, ‘incredible’, ‘great’ and ‘superb’ and noir to mention negative effects of sensory deprivation.
What were the dispositional measure tests given in Bocchiaro’s study and explain these.
The HEXACO-PI-R personality test: measures 6 personality traits: honesty-humility, emotionality, extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience.
The Decomposed Games measure of social values i.e. the extent to which personal values are orientated towards all or just for the self.
Religiosity was assessed by asking ps about their religious affiliation, frequency or worship and extent of faith.
What were the last set of ps asked in Bocchiaro’s study?
Asked to estimate likely obedience levels in this situation. They were provided with a detailed description of the procedure and asked ‘what would you do?’ And ‘what would the average student at your university do?’
Provide some results for Bocchiaro’s study
Estimated that they would: O-3.6%, WB-64.5%, D-31.9%
Estimated that others would: O-18.8%, D-43.9%, WB-37.3%
Actual: O-76.5%, D-14.1%, WB-9.4%
How does dispositional factors and religiosity affect the O,D and WB in Bocchiaro’s study?
None of the 6 personality traits assessed were associated with the levels. Nor was social Valarie orientation. Religiosity, neither religious affiliation and frequency of worship predicted behaviour. However there was a moderate relationship with depth of faith, with those expressing strong religious faith being slightly more likely to whistle blow.
What were some conclusions to Bocchiaro’s study?
-People are very obedient and whistle-blowing is uncommon.
-People overestimate the tendency to blow the whistle and underestimate the likelihood of obedience.
There is little or no evidence to suggest that dispositional factors affect obedience or whistle-blowing.
