obedience

Question 1

what is obedience

Answer 1

type of social influence which causes a person to act in response to an order given by another person

Question 2

who is the person normally giving orders

Answer 2

usually someone with power/ authority

Question 3

what was Milgrams aim

Answer 3

to examine whether people would obey orders from an authority figure even if it gets against their conscience

Question 4

how was it decided who would be the teacher and learner in Milgrams experiment

Answer 4

randomly - drawing straws
however it was fixed so the participant would always be the teacher

Question 5

what percentage of participants continued to the highest voltage in Milgrams experiment

Answer 5

65%

Question 6

what was the highest voltage level

Answer 6

450 volts

Question 7

how many variations of the experiment did Milgram carry out

Answer 7

18

Question 8

what would happen if the teacher would refuse to administer the shock

Answer 8

the experiment would give a series of prods to ensure they continued

Question 9

explanation for the behaviour of the participants who continued to maximum voltage

Answer 9

the situation they were in influenced the, and caused them to behave in the way they did
ordinary people are likely to follow orders given by an authority figure
obedience to authority is ingrained in us from how we are brought up

Question 10

what were the participants told the experiment was about

Answer 10

learning

Question 11

how much did obedience drop by when the experimenter was dressed as a member of the public

Answer 11

20%

Question 12

limitations of Milgrams experiment

Answer 12

low internal validity

Question 13

why does Milgrams experiment have low internal validity

Answer 13

participants may have been aware that the procedure was faked especially in the variations as they involved extra manipulation of variables
unclear whether findings are due to participants being obedient or that they saw through the deception

Question 14

strengths of Milgrams experiment

Answer 14

other studies have demonstrated influence of situational variables on obedience

Question 15

another study other than Milgrams that demonstrated influence of situational variables on obedience

Answer 15

field experiment in New York City where 3 confederates dressed up as a security guard, milkman and one in a jacket and tie who all asked passers by to perform activities.
people were twice as likely to obey the assistant dressed as a security guard than in a jacket and tie

Question 16

what is the opposite of being in an agent state

Answer 16

being in a autonomous state

Question 17

what is agentic state

Answer 17

where an individual gives up their autonomy and moral responsibility to an authority figure
they become an ‘agent’ to the authority figure

Question 18

what is autonomous state

Answer 18

where a person is free to behave according to their own principles and feels a sense of responsibility for their won actions

Question 19

what is the agentic shift and why might it happen

Answer 19

shift from autonomy to agency
may happen if a person perceives someone else as an authority figure possibly because they have a higher position in social hierarchy

Question 20

what are binding factors

Answer 20

aspects of the situation that allow the person to minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour and reduce the ‘moral strain’ they are feeling

Question 21

what is the main reason why people may remain in an agentic state

Answer 21

binding factors

Question 22

what is legitimacy of authority

Answer 22

people who hold authority that is agreed by society - parents, teachers, bouncers

Question 23

consequences of legitimacy of authority

Answer 23

people are granted power to punish others, we are willing to give up some of our independence and hand control of our behaviour to people we trust to exercise authority appropriately
can also become destructive powerful leaders can use their powers for destructive purposes