individual and situational differences in obedience

Question 1

what are the individual differences in obedience

Answer 1

personality and gender

Question 2

what are the situational differences in obedience

Answer 2

situation and culture

Question 3

who is the theorist of the authoritarian personality?

Answer 3

Adorno et al (1950)

Question 4

what parenting style did Adorno believe leads children to develop traits of authoritarianism?

Answer 4

a harsh-parenting style

Question 5

what are some of the personality traits which fall under the term of ‘authoritarianism’?

Answer 5

toughness
destructiveness
cynicism

Question 6

what did the authoritarian personality theory believe about those who grew up with harsh parenting styles in terms of obedience?

Answer 6

they had personalities that were submissive to authority but harsh to those seen as subordinate

Question 7

what is the f-scale

Answer 7

a personality test that measures authoritarianism, or a tendency towards anti-democratic views. The F stands for fascist.

Question 8

what would a parenting style centred around unconditional love score on the f-scale and in terms of dissent?

Answer 8

children will grow into adults who score low on the f-scale and are more likely to show resistance and defy what they perceive to be destructive orders

Question 9

what is the authoritarian personality?

Answer 9

Children who grew up with harsh-parenting style will develop traits of authoritarianism such as cynicism, destructiveness and toughness and grow up to have personalities which are submissive to authority but harsh to those seen as subordinate

Question 10

What is a research link to the authoritarian personality?

Answer 10

Milgram suggests participants who administered the highest shock might exhibit authoritarian traits and score higher on the f-scale

Question 11

what are some strengths of the authoritarian personality theory by Adorno (1950)?

Answer 11

+Evidence – Elms and Milgram (1966) used the f-scale within the 40 participants and found obedient participants scored higher plus other authoritarian features, findings support obedience is related to authoritarianism
+Explains Individual Differences – Unlike situational explanations (e.g., Milgram’s study), this theory accounts for why some individuals are more obedient than others, even in the same environment.
+Real-World Applications – Helps explain historical events, such as Nazi Germany, where authoritarian traits may have contributed to blind obedience.

Question 12

what are some weaknesses of the authoritarian personality theory by Adorno et al (1950)?

Answer 12

+ Correlation, Not Causation – Adorno’s research only shows a link between authoritarian traits and obedience; it doesn’t prove one causes the other.
+ Reductionist – Ignores situational factors (e.g., social influence, culture) that may also explain obedience.
+Methodological Issues – The F-scale questionnaire is criticized for being biased (leading questions, social desirability bias).

Question 13

who is the theorist of internal and external locus of control?

Answer 13

Rotter (1966)

Question 14

what does it mean when someone has an internal locus of control?

Answer 14

they take greater responsibility for their actions and believe they are in control of what they do and what happens to them

Question 15

what does it mean when someone has an external locus of control?

Answer 15

they take less responsibility for their actions and feel that what happens to them is governed by other people or chance factors

Question 16

Which (internal or external LOC) is more likely to show dissent and defy orders?

Answer 16

Internal LOC

Question 17

Which (internal or external LOC) is more likely to be obedient?

Answer 17

external LOC

Question 18

what is the research link for internal and external LOC by Rotter 1966?

Answer 18

Miller conducted a study in which a high or low status experimenter told participants to grasp live electric wires. Externals obeyed the high status experimenter more than the low status experimenter whilst internals were unaffected by the status

Question 19

what are some strengths of internal and external locus of control by Rotter (1966)?

Answer 19

+ Supporting Evidence – Holland (1967) replicated Milgram’s study and found that 37% of internals resisted obedience, compared to only 23% of externals, supporting the idea that internal LoC leads to greater resistance.
+ Explains Resistance to Social Influence – People with an internal LoC take personal responsibility for their actions, making them more likely to resist conformity and obedience.
+Real-World Applications – Understanding LoC can be applied to education, leadership, and therapy to encourage independence, confidence, and critical thinking.

Question 20

what are some weaknesses of internal and external locus of control by Rotter (1966)?

Answer 20

+ Not the Only Factor – Social support, moral reasoning, and personality traits (e.g., confidence) also play a role in resisting authority, not just LoC.
+ Situational Influence Matters – Even those with an internal LoC may obey or conform if the social pressure is strong enough, showing LoC is not a perfect predictor.
+ Cultural Bias – Research suggests that LoC may work differently in collectivist cultures, where external LoC is not always linked to higher obedience, making the theory less universal.

Question 21

What was the Schurz (1985) research and how does it oppose personality influence on obedience?

Answer 21

In a Milgram-typed task, participants were told to blast a student with a painful ultrasound, the fully obedience participants did not differ significantly from resistant participants in LOC scores. Therefore, personality may have little impact on obedience and there may be lots of other variables involved

Question 22

what are some strengths of the personality factors in individual differences of obedience?

Answer 22

+Real-World Applications – Understanding how personality influences obedience can help in areas like leadership, education, and even preventing blind obedience in harmful situations.
+ Long-Term Stability – Personality traits (e.g., authoritarianism, LoC) tend to remain stable over time, making them useful for predicting obedience across different situations.
+Supporting Evidence – Research involving Authoritarian Personality (Elms and Milgram, 1966) shows that people with strict, rigid thinking are more likely to obey authority. Additionally, studies on Locus of Control (Miller) suggest internals resist obedience more than externals.

Question 23

what are some weaknesses of the personality factors in individual differences of obedience?

Answer 23

+Ignores situational factors – Studies like Milgram’s (1963) show that obedience is heavily influenced by the situation (e.g., presence of an authority figure), suggesting personality alone isn’t enough to explain behavior.
+opposing evidence – Some research (e.g., Schurz, 1985) found no link between authoritarian personality and obedience, suggesting other factors may be more important.
+Reductionist – Reduces complex behaviors like obedience to personality traits, ignoring cultural, social, and environmental influences.

Question 24

which research supports the theory that women are more obedient than men?(gender as an individual difference)

Answer 24

Sheridan and Kings (1972)

Question 25

what was the Sheridan and Kings (1972) study? (gender as an individual difference-women are more obedient than men)

Answer 25

participants were ordered to give real electric shocks to a live puppy

Question 26

what were the results of the Sheridan and Kings (1972) study? (gender as an individual difference- women are more obedient than men)

Answer 26

100% of females were obedient but showed grave distress, sobbing their way through the study 54% of males were obedient (defied more than the males in Milgram's study)

Question 27

what are some strengths of the theory that women are more obedient than men? (gender as an individual difference- women are more obedient than men)

Answer 27

+ Supporting Evidence – Research, such as Sheridan and Kings (1972), found lower obedience in men (54%) compared to women (100%) suggesting gender differences in obedience. + Reflects Social Expectations – Women are often socialized to be more nurturing and compliant, which could lead to higher obedience in authority situations. +Real-World Relevance – Understanding gender differences can help explain real-life scenarios where women may show more obedience, such as in hierarchical workplaces or family dynamics.

Question 28

what are some weaknesses of the theory that women are more obedient than men? (gender as an individual difference- women are more obedient than men)

Answer 28

+Gender Bias – Focusing on gender differences in obedience may reinforce stereotypes and overlook other important factors like personality or situational influences. +Limited Evidence – Other studies have found no significant gender difference in obedience, suggesting that gender may not be a strong predictor of obedience after all. +Cultural and Contextual Variations – The difference between male and female obedience may depend on cultural or situational factors, meaning generalizing this finding is difficult.

Question 29

which research supports the theory that men are more obedient than women? (gender as an individual difference- men as more obedient than women)

Answer 29

Killham and Mann (1974)

Question 30

What was the Kilham and Mann study (1974)? (gender as an individual difference-men are more obedient than women)

Answer 30

a replication of Milgram's study in Australia with 20 men and 20 women

Question 31

what were the results of Kilham and Mann's study (1974)? (gender as an individual difference- men are more obedient than women)

Answer 31

low obedience rates of 28% 40% of males were fully obedient 16% of women were fully obedient

Question 32

what are some strengths of the theory that men are more obedient than women? (gender as an individual difference- men are more obedient than women)

Answer 32

+Supporting Evidence – Kilham and mann (1974) replicated Milgram's baseline study and found 40% obedience in men compared to 16% of women- shows that men may be more obedient in certain contexts, potentially linked to traditional gender roles and social expectations. +Reflects Social Expectations – Men may feel pressure to conform to stereotypical expectations of authority and power, leading to higher obedience in certain situations. + Real-World Applications – Understanding gender differences in obedience can help explain power dynamics in institutions, workplaces, and authority-based relationships where men might display more obedience

Question 33

what are some weaknesses of the theory that men are more obedient than women? (gender as an individual difference- men are more obedient than women)

Answer 33

+Inconsistent Findings – Studies like Blass (1999) found no signification difference in obedience between men and women when reporting a Milgram-styled study, suggesting gender doesn't affect obedience +Ignores Other Factors – Obedience is influenced by many factors (e.g., personality, culture, authority figure), not just gender. Focusing on gender alone can oversimplify obedience behavior. +Cultural and Contextual Variations – Gender differences in obedience might depend on cultural and situational factors, so conclusions about male obedience may not apply universally.

Question 34

Who is the moral reasoning theory by?

Answer 34

Gilligan (1982)

Question 35

what does the moral reasoning theory suggest? (gender as an individual difference)

Answer 35

moral decision making is guided by different principles in men and women

Question 36

Who uses the 'ethic of justice'? (gender as an individual difference- moral reasoning)

Answer 36

men

Question 37

what is the 'ethic of justice'? (gender as an individual difference- moral reasoning)

Answer 37

pertains to values of equality and fairness, it requires a detached outlook to avoid bias

Question 38

who uses the 'ethic of care'? (gender as an individual difference- moral reasoning)

Answer 38

females

Question 39

what is the 'ethic of care'? (gender as an individual difference- moral reasoning)

Answer 39

applies to interpersonal relationships and nurturing those in need

Question 40

what is the research link of moral reasoning by Giligan (1982)? (gender as an individual difference- moral reasoning)

Answer 40

In Milgram's baseline study, males may have been focused on the scientific 'greater good' but if females took part then they may have been more concerned about the learner

Question 41

what are some strengths of the theory moral reasoning? (gender as an individual difference- moral reasoning)

Answer 41

+Explains Individual Differences – People with higher moral reasoning are more likely to resist authority, explaining why some disobey. +Real-World Applications – Can be used in education and leadership training to encourage critical thinking and ethical decision-making. +supporting evidence- Gillian and Attanucci (1988) found males + females both use ethics in real-life dilemmas. Men overall favoured a justice-based morality while women leant to a care-based morality

Question 42

what are some weaknesses of the theory moral reasoning? (gender as an individual difference- moral reasoning)

Answer 42

+doesn’t Always Predict Behavior – People may have high moral reasoning but still obey due to fear, authority pressure, or situational factors. +Difficult to Measure – Moral reasoning is complex and subjective, making it hard to assess accurately in obedience studies. +Situational Factors Matter More – Milgram’s study showed high obedience levels even in participants who likely had strong moral reasoning, suggesting the power of the situation overrides morality.

Question 43

what are some strengths of the gender factors in individual differences of obedience?

Answer 43

+Some Supporting Evidence – Studies like Kilham and Mann (1974) & Sheridan and Kings (1972) found results which demonstrated gender differences in obedience +Links to Moral Reasoning – Gilligan and Attanucci (1988) found women tend to use care-based morality, which could make them more resistant to obedience in harmful situations. +Real-World Applications – Understanding gender differences in obedience can help in leadership, education, and workplace dynamics by addressing how men and women respond to authority.

Question 44

what are some weaknesses of the gender factors in individual differences of obedience?

Answer 44

+Inconsistent Findings – Other studies (e.g., Blass, 1999) found little to no gender differences in obedience, suggesting gender is not a reliable predictor. +Situational Factors Matter More – Milgram’s original study found both men and women showed high obedience, meaning authority and context may be stronger influences than gender. + Stereotyping Risk – Overemphasising gender differences can reinforce stereotypes rather than recognising individual personality and situational influences on obedience. +Cultural Differences – Gender roles and expectations vary across cultures, so findings from one study may not apply universally.

Question 45

what is legitimacy as a situational factor affecting obedience? (situational differences- situation)

Answer 45

reducing the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure through altering their mode of dress or prestige/status of venue lead to reductions on obedience

Question 46

what is a research link to legitimacy as a situational factor affecting obedience? (situational differences- situation)

Answer 46

Milgram's variation #10: rundown office block the experimenter was not wearing his grey lab coat and the building was a rundown office block in Bridgeport, Connecticut

Question 47

what is proximity as a situational factor affecting obedience? (situational differences- situation)

Answer 47

when the distance between the authority figure and participant is increased, the obedience reduces.

Question 48

what is a research link of proximity as a factor affecting obedience? (situational differences- situation)

Answer 48

Milgram's variation #7 telephonic instructions where only 23% of participants were obedient Social impact theory discusses proximity (Latane uses the term 'immediacy') to refer to the closeness of the target which will affect the obedience

Question 49

what is behaviour of others as a situational factor affecting obedience? (situational differences- situation)

Answer 49

exposure to role models who are disobedient decreases obedience

Question 50

what is a research link of behaviour of others as a factor affecting obedience? (situational differences- situation)

Answer 50

Milgram's variation #17- peers to rebel the two teachers who refused to carry on showed a drop of 10% in obedience

Question 51

what are some strengths of situation as an explanation of obedience? (situational differences- situation)

Answer 51

+Strong Supporting Evidence – Milgram’s studies (1963, 1974) showed that situational factors (e.g., authority presence, proximity, location) greatly influenced obedience levels. +Explains High Obedience Rates – Situational factors help explain why ordinary people can commit harmful acts when under authoritative pressure (e.g., Nazi Germany, Abu Ghraib prison). +Replicable Findings – Variations of Milgram’s study (e.g., proximity, uniform, location) consistently showed that obedience changes based on the situation, increasing reliability.

Question 52

what are some weaknesses of situation as an explanation of obedience? (situational differences- situation)

Answer 52

+Ignores Individual Differences – Some people still resist authority even in highly obedient situations, suggesting personality (e.g., locus of control, moral reasoning) also plays a role. +Ethical Concerns in Research – Many situational obedience studies (e.g., Milgram, Zimbardo) raise ethical issues, making it difficult to fully test situational influences today. +Cultural Differences – Obedience levels vary across cultures (e.g., collectivist vs. individualist societies), suggesting that situation alone cannot fully explain obedience everywhere.

Question 53

who came up with the theory of individualism and collectivism?

Answer 53

Hofsted (2011)

Question 54

what do individualist cultures value? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 54

autonomy, self-reliance and independence

Question 55

what do collectivist cultures value? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 55

loyalty to the group, interdependence and cooperation in pursuit of group goals

Question 56

which culture (individualist or collectivist) would be less obedient and why?

Answer 56

individualist due to the value placed on self-determination

Question 57

which culture (individualist or collectivist) would be more obedient and why? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 57

collectivist because obligation and sense of duty may override the desire to rebel

Question 58

what are some examples of some individualist cultures? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 58

US UK

Question 59

what are some examples of some collectivist cultures? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 59

China India

Question 60

what are some strengths of individualist and collectivist cultures as an explanation of obedience? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 60

+Explains Cross-Cultural Differences – Helps explain why obedience levels vary across societies, such as why some cultures emphasize respect for authority more than others. + Real-World Applications – Useful for understanding workplace behaviors, education systems, and leadership styles in different cultural settings. + Considers Social Norms – Recognizes that obedience is influenced by cultural upbringing, not just personality or situational factors.

Question 61

what are some weaknesses of individualist and collectivist cultures as an explanation of obedience? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 61

+Cultural Changes Over Time – Globalisation and changing societal norms mean cultural differences in obedience may shift, making findings less reliable over time. + Ignores Other Influences – Culture alone doesn’t explain obedience fully; factors like personality (e.g., locus of control), authority pressure, and moral reasoning also affect obedience. +Oversimplifies Culture – Not all individuals in a culture conform to its general traits; obedience varies within cultures due to personal beliefs and experiences.

Question 62

what does power distance index (PDI) refer to? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 62

how accepting people are of hierarchal order and inequality in society

Question 63

what would people expect from high PDI cultures? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 63

subordinates expect to be told what to do and the ideal boss is a benevolent autocrat. we would expect them to be highly obedient

Question 64

what would people expect from low PDI cultures? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 64

be more likely to show resistance or dissent

Question 65

what are some strengths of Power distance index (PDI) as an explanation of obedience? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 65

+Real-World Applications – Useful for predicting behavior in workplaces, education, and law enforcement, where obedience to authority varies by cultural norms. +Real world applications: countries with a high PDI (e.g., China, India) tend to show higher obedience because people accept authority hierarchies, while low PDI cultures (e.g., USA, UK) encourage questioning authority and show lower obedience. +Explains Cross-Cultural Differences – Helps understand why obedience rates vary globally based on how much respect for authority is ingrained in a culture.

Question 66

what are some weaknesses of Power distance index (PDI) as an explanation of obedience? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 66

+Cultural Change Over Time – Globalisation and social changes can shift power dynamics, making PDI less reliable in predicting obedience long-term. +Oversimplifies Culture – PDI is a broad measure and doesn’t account for individual differences within a culture; not everyone in a high PDI country is obedient. +Other Factors Matter – Obedience is influenced by personality, moral reasoning, and situational pressures, not just cultural attitudes toward authority.

Question 67

what are some strengths of culture as an explanation of obedience? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 67

+explains cross-cultural differences – Helps understand why obedience levels vary across societies, with collectivist and high PDI cultures (e.g., China, India) showing higher obedience than individualist and low PDI cultures (e.g., USA, UK). +Supported by Research – Studies like Kilham & Mann (1974) found lower obedience in Australia (a low PDI culture), while studies in countries with high PDI (e.g., Spain, Poland) found higher obedience, supporting cultural influence. +Considers Social Norms – Recognizes that obedience is shaped by cultural upbringing and societal expectations, not just individual personality.

Question 68

what are some weaknesses of culture as an explanation of obedience? (situational differences- culture)

Answer 68

+not the only factor – Culture alone doesn’t fully explain obedience; personality, situational factors, and authority pressure also play key roles. +oversimplifies Culture – Culture is complex, and individuals within the same culture can have very different obedience levels based on upbringing and experiences. +Cultural Changes Over Time – Societies evolve, meaning obedience levels in certain cultures may shift due to modernisation and globalization, making cultural explanations less stable over time.