Obedience Flashcards
Milgrams Research
Procedure = American men gave fake electric shocks to a ‘learner’ in response to instructions from experiment
Findings = 65% gave highest shock of 450V. 100% gave up to 350V, many showed signs of anxiety
Evaluation of Milgrams Research
Research Support = French TV game show found 80% gave max shock
Low Internal Validity = participants realised shocks were fake
Ethical Issues = no consent given
What are the situation variables
Proximity = psychological distance affects obedience
Location = Uni’s prestige gave authority
Uniform = symbol of legitimate authority
Evaluation of situation variables
Research Support = Bickman showed power of uniform in field experiment
Not representative = USA
What is the Agentic State
Mindset which allows us to carry out orders - even if we believe them to be wrong
What is the Autonomous State
Free to act according to conscience
What is the evaluation of the autonomous and agentic state
Research Support = Milgrams resistant participants
Limited Explanation = Rank and Jacobsons nurses
What is the Authoritan Personality
Adorno et al determined that high obedience levels were indicators of a psych disorder
. Used F scale to study unconscious attitudes
^ those who scored high identified with strong people and saw weak as worthless
Evaluation of the Authoritan Personality
Research Support = obedient participants had high F scales
Limited Explanation = can’t explain over a whole culture
What is the Legitimacy of Authority
. Created by hierarchial nature of society, some people entitled to expect obedience - learned in childhood
Destructive authority = problems arise when used destructively (E.g: Hitler)
Evaluation of Legitimacy of Authority
. Explains cultural differences
(Germans more obedient than Australians)
. Cannot explain all disobedience
(Rank and Jacobsons nurses)
