Milgram's study and situational factors for obedience Flashcards
Obedience definition
This is a type of social influence where somebody acts in response to a direct order from a figure with
perceived authority. The person who receives the order may also respond in a way that they would have
not done without the order.
Aim:
To investigate if individuals would obey the orders of an authority figure even if this led to negative
consequences
Method
Laboratory Experiment at Yale University
Sample:
40 American males
Procedure:
Milgram placed an advert in a newspaper seeking volunteers for an experiment supposedly researching
memory on learning
Once the participant arrived at the university, they were introduced to another participant (who was
actually a confederate). They drew lots, which were rigged, and the real participant was assigned the role
of the ‘teacher’ and the confederate was always the learner.
The teacher’s job was to administrate a learning task and deliver ‘electric shocks’ to the learner if the learner got a question wrong.
The shocks began at 15 volts and increased by 15 volts to a maximum of 450 volts.
The experimenter used prompts if the ‘teacher’ refused
prompts examples
“You have no other choice; you must go on.”
Findings:
100% went to at least 300 volts
65% of ppts continued to the maximum 450 volts
How many went to 300V
100%
How many went to 450v
65%
Conclusion:
Ordinary people are obedient to authority when asked to behave in an inhumane way. It is
not necessarily evil people who commit evil crimes but ordinary people who are just obeying orders.
Situational Variables affecting Obedience
proximity
, location,
uniform
Proximity:
Obedience rates decrease to 20.5% when the experimenter left the room and gave instructions to the
teacher by telephone.
Obedience rates fell from what to what percentage in proximity?
65% to 20.5%
Location
Obedience rates decrease when the location was changed to a run-down office in a run-down
part of town from 65% at Yale University to 48% in the run-down office.
Obedience rates fell from what to what percentage in location?
65% to 48%
Power of Uniform
Obedience rates decrease when the role of the experimenter wore everyday clothes rather than a grey lab coat
In this variation obedience dropped to 20%.
This shows that uniform acts as a visual cue to authority
Obedience rates fell from what to what percentage in uniform?
20%
Research to support situational variables affecting obedience was a field experiment conducted by?
Bickman
Bickman’s procedure
He had confederates dress in three different outfits (a security guard, a milkman, and a
businessman) and ask passers-by to pick up litter.
Bickman’s findings
participants were 2x more likely to follow the instructions of the confederate wearing a security guard
uniform than the businessman.
Criticism of Milgram’s research
gender bias due to only male sample
Explanation of gender bias in Milgram’s research
some research suggests females may be more obedient regardless of the situational variable because their gender roles show that they be more submissive.
Sheridan & King
when ordered to give electric shocks to a puppy, females obeyed 100% of the time, compared to 54% of male participants
when ordered to give electric shocks to a puppy, females obeyed 100% of the time, compared to 54% of male participants
Sheridan & King
Another disagree for situational factors increasing obedience
An alternative explanation for obedience is dispositional factors for eg the authoritarian personality
Obedience is due to internal factors, not external
