obedience: situational variables

Question 1

what are situational variables?

Answer 1

features of immediate physical and social environment which may influence a persons behaviour

Question 2

what are the situational variables Milgram investigated?

Answer 2

• location
• proximity
• uniform

Question 3

percentage of shocks delivered for standard procedure

Answer 3

65%

Question 4

percentage of shocks delivered for instructions via telephone

Answer 4

20.5%

Question 5

percentage of shocks delivered for p’s having to put learners hand on electric plate

Answer 5

30%

Question 6

percentage of shocks delivered for experiment done in run down building

Answer 6

48%

Question 7

percentage of shocks delivered for p’s only reading out questions

Answer 7

92.5%

Question 8

percentage of shocks delivered for victim in same room as teacher

Answer 8

40%

Question 9

percentage of shocks delivered for victim silent

Answer 9

100%

Question 10

percentage of shocks delivered for p paired with 2 confederates who refuse to obey

Answer 10

10%

Question 11

percentage of shocks delivered for experimenter in uniform replaced by member of public in ordinary clothing

Answer 11

20%

Question 12

explanation of uniform

Answer 12

• adds legitimacy to authority eg police
• when experimenter called away and replaced by ordinary citizen obedience decreased to 20%

Question 13

explanation of proximity

Answer 13

• proximity= physical distance between teacher and learner
• distance increases= obedience decreases as p’s physically saw effects

Question 14

explanation of location

Answer 14

• adds more legitimacy to authority
• run down office= obedience decrease to 47.5%
• see as less serious so less likely to do it

Question 15

evaluation

Answer 15

L: lack of internal validity
L: ‘obedience alibi”
S: research support- Bickman
S: cross-cultural replications
S: control