Obedience: Gender

Question 1

Name 2 pieces of research that reject gender differences in obedience

Answer 1

1) Milgram (1963)
2) Burger (2009)

Question 2

Explain the findings of Milgram (1963)

Answer 2

P - Milgram’s (1963) study rejects the idea that gender affects obedience
E - He found that men and women were equally as obedient (65% obeyed to 450V in both) however stress levels in women were higher
E - Found that gender does not link to levels of obedience and the stress could be due to women being regarded as generally more empathetic than men

Question 3

Explain the findings of Burger (2009)

Answer 3

P - Burger (2009) rejects the idea that gender differences affect obedience
E - He replicated Milgram’s study, but stopped at 165V with experimenter interjection and had the confederate verbally protest at 150V
E - Due to him finding no significant difference between men and women, he concluded that gender does not affect obedience

Question 4

Name 2 pieces of research that support gender differences in obedience

Answer 4

1) Sheridan and King (1972)
2) Kilham and Mann (1974)

Question 5

Explain the findings of Sheridan and King (1972)

Answer 5

P -
E -
E -

Question 6

Explain the findings of Kilham and Mann (1974)

Answer 6

P -
E -
E -

Question 7

List general strengths of testing gender and obedience

Answer 7

• standardized procedures
• lab experiments have high control over EV’s

Question 8

List general weaknesses of testing gender and obedience

Answer 8

• low ecological validity
• low task validity
• ignores situational factors

Question 9

Gender affecting obedience
- Weakness

Answer 9

P - Many studies find no gender differences
E - Thomas Blass (1999) summarised the findings of nine Milgram-style studies that included both male and female ppts
E - In all but one case there was no significant difference in the observed levels of obedience between men and women
L - This suggests that gender does not affect obedience