Factors affecting obedience: Situational and Cultural Factors

Question 1

Collectivism

Answer 1

• Collectivism stresses the importance of the community and one’s group
• Where unity and selfless are valued traits in collectivist cultures
• Cooperation and compliance for the stability of the group
• Those from collectivist culture would more likely describe themselves in terms of their social relationship and roles (parent, sibling and friend)

Question 2

Individualism

Answer 2

• While individual is focused on the rights and concerns of each person
• Independence and personal identity are promoted in individualistic culture, more resistance to compliance
• Those in individualistic culture might describe themselves in terms of personality traits and characteristics (smart, funny, kind)

Question 3

Power Distance (PDI)

Answer 3

• Is the measure of how accepting people are of inequality and hierarchy in society

Question 4

High PDI

Answer 4

• If there is a high power distance the subordinate is more likely to accept the authority of their superior
• People from cultures with high PDI are more accepting of power bring held by authority figures
• Less likely to question orders from those authority figures and are more obedient

Question 5

Low PDI

Answer 5

• If there is a low power distance the subordinate is more likely to question the authority of their superior
• Seeking cooperation, more independent relationships therefore they are less accepting of the authority
• People from low PDI cultures are more likely to question those in power

Question 6

Strength of Individualism and Collectivism

Answer 6

• One strength is that most nation around the world show similarly high levels of obedience
• Blass found an average if 65% obedience across other countries compared to 60% for US replication
• Showing countries are varied in terms of collectivism and individualism levels but the average obedience is similar
• Therefore, obedience is a universal social behavior and culture doesn’t affect it

Question 7

Strength of Power Distance Index

Answer 7

• A strength of cultural explanation is close relationship between obedience and Hofstede’s cultural dimension
• Kilhman and Mann found a strikingly low level of obedience of 28% in Australia, which scores very low for power distance while a recent replication in Poland found very high level of obedience of 90%
• Suggesting that the power distance is useful in predict obedience