Obedience Flashcards
What is obedience?
Obedience is behaving as instructed by an authority figure
authority figures have status/ power over others
Describe the procedure used to carry out an experiment testing obedience
- Milgram (1963)
- advert in newspaper = 40 male participants in study about effect of punishment on learning
- met experimenter (man in a lab coat) = confederate = authority figure
- participant = Mr Wallace (confederate + weak heart)
- pick notes out of hat = learner (always Mr Wallace) + teacher (always participant)
- teacher’s role = punish learner w/ electric shock if they make a mistake –> increase voltage each time
- learner in a room hooked up to electric shock machine –> teacher in adjoining room w/ controls = FAKE but convincing
- shocks = switches: 15V - 450V –> labelled w/ ‘Slight Shock’ all the way till ‘XXX’
- as shocks became more severe, Wallace demanded to be released from experiment, screamed, kicked wall, refused to answer silent, finally went silent (assume dead)
- experimenter ensured teacher continued even if they were reluctant w/ prompts: ‘please continue’, you have no choice, you must continue’
Describe the findings from Milgram’s (1963) experiment
- most were obedient to the authority figure
- 100% of participants gave shocks up to 300V (Wallace banged on the wall = stopped answering)
- 65% of participants gave electric shocks up to max 450V
- participants felt high levels of stress w/ symptoms of sweating, trembling = some cases anxious, hysterical laughter
Describe some disadvantages/negatives for Milgram’s (1963) experiment
- cultural + gender bias = 40 white American males = can’t be generalised to other cultures/ women –> sample unrepresentative
- participants deceived = told experiment was about memory, really about obedience + thought shocks were real = Wallace had a weak heart
- no informed consent either –> deception necessary to avoid demand characteristics = increase validity of study
- participants not protected from psychological harm = became extremely distressed (some hysterical)/ stressed –> no anticipation though as Milgram (1963) didn’t expect obedience
- violation of right to withdraw = participants asked to leave, told not allowed
Describe an advantage/positive of Milgram’s (1963) experiment
- many psychologists performed a cost-benefit analysis and found that the study was worthwhile
- participants didn’t suffer any true long-term emotional disturbances
- most (84%) were happy to have taken part + learnt something important = people can blindly follow orders
What were the situational variables/factors that Milgram tested/considered when redoing the experiment (1974)?
which ones increase or decrease levels of obedience?
- proximity
- location
- uniform
How did proximity have an effect on the levels of obedience when Milgram redid the experiment in 1974?
proximity variation:
- teacher + learner seated in SAME room = obedience levels fell to 40%
touch proximity variation:
- teacher forced the learner’s arm down onto metal plate to administer shocks = obedience rate was 30%
BOTH VARIATIONS = TEACHERS WERE NOW ABLE TO EXPERIENCE WALLACE’S ANGUISH + PAIN DIRECTLY
absent experimenter variation:
- experimenter left room after giving instructions –> order were then by telephone = majority of participants missed out on shocks/ gave lower voltages than supposed to = obedience rate was 21%
How did location have an effect on the levels of obedience when Milgram redid the experiment in 1974?
alternative setting variation:
- experiment carried out in a rundown office in downtown Bridgeport Connecticut = experimenter wearing casual clothes = obedience rate was 48%
- all other variations @ Yale University
How did uniform have an effect on the levels of obedience when Milgram redid the experiment in 1974?
alternative setting variation:
- experimenter did not wear his uniform (lab coat)
- uniforms are easily recognisable symbols of power and status = power (e.g. police officer’s unfiorm) or no power (e.g. prisoner’s uniform)
what are the two situation explanations of obedience?
- agentic state
- legitimate authority
describe the agentic state
- Milgram (1974)
- people can obey horrific orders = situation they’re in
- when ppl follow orders = autonomous state –> agentic state = agentic shift
- agentic state = ppl ‘unthinkingly’ carry out orders
- they believe that the authority figure is responsible for their actions (diffusion of responsibility) = do not follow own conscience or feel guilt
- occurs cus authority are usually trustworthy, order seem reasonable before becoming more aggressive (gradual commitment)
- they are psychologically protected from consequences of actions (buffers)
- one reason = +ve self image = -ve behaviour doesn’t matter as they are not responsible
- difficult to break commitment from agentic state as they are concerned that authority figure wud think they’re arrogant/rude
- Milgram (1974) = agentic state developed during human evolution = necessary for hierarchies in society
what are is a +ve for agentic state
Milgram’s (1974) experiment:
- participants less likely to shock Wallace when in the same room (close proximity) = see consequences of actions (NO BUFFERS)
- close proximity + seeing him in pain = prevent some from going into agentic state
what is a -ve for agentic state?
- ppl shouldn’t go into agentic state w/out buffers = obey + harm someone
- Mandel (1998) report
what is legitimate authority?
- claims ppl are more likely to obey an order given by someone w/ legitimate authority
- LA = position of social control within certain context/setting
- power stems from their perceived status
- shown through symbols of power e.g. uniform
what are the +ves of legitimate authority?
- Hofling (1966) = location plays a huge role in obedience to a legitimate authority figure e.g. nurses listening to fake doctor
- Bickman (1974) = uniform plays a huge role in obedience to a legitimate authority figure e.g. passerby more likely to pick up litter from a guard (90%) than a civilian (50%)
