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A Level Psychology > P1 Social Influence: Milgram & Adorno Explanations For Obedience > Flashcards

P1 Social Influence: Milgram & Adorno Explanations For Obedience Flashcards

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1
Q

What is obedience?

A

behaviour in compliance with a direct command, often one issued by a person in a position of authority.

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2
Q

What event led Milgram to investigate obedience?

A

The Holocaust, where ordinary Germans obeyed Nazi orders.

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3
Q

According to Adorno, what personality trait did he believe Germans inherently had?

A

A more obedient disposition (personality).

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4
Q

True or False: Milgram believed obedience was unique to certain cultures.

A

False. Milgram believed it was a universal human trait.

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5
Q

Why did Milgram present his experiment as a memory study?

A

To avoid influencing participants’ behaviour by revealing the true purpose of studying obedience. (Biasing results)

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6
Q

How many ppts were they in the milgram experiment

A

40

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7
Q

Who were the ppts greeted by in the milgram experiment?

A

greeted by individuals they assumed were a scientist in a lab coat and a participant. However, these were confederates (actors in on the experiment, following a predefined role and script)

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8
Q

In Milgram’s experiment, what role was the real participant assigned?

A

The teacher role

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9
Q

Who played the “scientist” and the “learner” in the milgram experiment?

A

confederates (actors following a script).

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10
Q

What was the “learner” (confederate) attached to in the milgram experiment

A

The “learner” (confederate participant) was then strapped into a chair and connected to electrodes.

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11
Q

Where was the real participant led in Milgram’s experiment?

A

To another room containing the shock device.

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12
Q

What was the voltage range on the shock device in Milgram’s experiment?

A

15 to 450 volts.

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13
Q

Milgram experiment
What were some of the labels on the shock device switches?

A

Labels ranged from “slight shock” to “danger: severe shock.”

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14
Q

What role was the real participant assigned in Milgram’s experiment?

A

The role of the “teacher.”

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15
Q

What was the teacher instructed to do with the learner? - milgram experiment

A

To ask the learner questions and administer an electric shock for each incorrect answer.

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16
Q

What happened each time the learner answered a question incorrectly? - milgram experiment

A

The teacher administered an electric shock and increased the voltage by 15 volts with each mistake.

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17
Q

By how many volts did the shock level increase for each incorrect answer in Milgram’s experiment?

A

15 volts

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18
Q

True or False: In Milgram’s experiment, the shock device only had one label indicating “shock.”

A

False. The device had multiple labels ranging from “slight shock” to “danger: severe shock.”

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19
Q

True or False: In Milgram’s experiment, the teacher gave an electric shock only if the learner gave a correct answer.

A

False. The shock was administered for each incorrect answer.

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20
Q

In Milgram’s experiment, the shock device had switches labelled from ___ to ___ volts.

A

15 to 450 volts.

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21
Q

In Milgram’s experiment, shock labels ranged from “___ shock” to “___: ___ shock.”

A

slight shock” to “danger: severe shock.”

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22
Q

In Milgram’s experiment, the teacher’s task was to escalate the voltage by ___ volts with each incorrect answer from the learner.

A

15 volts

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23
Q

In Milgram’s experiment, what could the participant hear as the (fake) shocks increased?

A

The learner’s reactions from the other room, including silence after 300 volts, suggesting severe harm or death.

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24
Q

In Milgram’s experiment, what did the scientist say if a participant questioned their responsibility?

A

The scientist stated that he was responsible for the experiment.

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25
Q

What happened in Milgram’s experiment if the participant refused to continue administering shocks?

A

The scientist encouraged the participant to continue using a series of four scripted prompts.

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26
Q

What was the first prompt the scientist used to encourage continuation in Milgram’s experiment?

A

“Please continue.”

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27
Q

What was the second prompt the scientist used in Milgram’s experiment?

A

“The experiment requires that you continue.”

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28
Q

What was the third prompt the scientist used in Milgram’s experiment?

A

“It is absolutely essential that you continue.”

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29
Q

What was the final prompt the scientist used in Milgram’s experiment if the participant refused to continue?

A

“You have no other choice; you must go on.”

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30
Q

According to Milgram’s findings, what percentage of participants shocked up to 300 volts?

A

100% of participants.

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31
Q

In Milgram’s experiment, what percentage of participants continued all the way to 450 volts?

A

65%

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32
Q

What did footage from Milgram’s experiment show about the participants’ reactions?

A

Participants were visibly stressed

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33
Q

True or False: In Milgram’s experiment, the learner remained silent from the start of the shocks.

A

False. The learner’s reactions could be heard, with silence only occurring after 300 volts.

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34
Q

True or False: In Milgram’s experiment, the scientist told participants they were responsible for administering shocks.

A

False. The scientist stated that he was responsible for the experiment.

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35
Q

The final prompt the scientist used in Milgram’s experiment was, “You have no other choice; ___ __ ___ __.”

A

you must go on.”

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36
Q

In Milgram’s experiment, as shocks increased, the participant could hear the learner’s ___, with silence after ___ volts.

A

reactions; 300 volts.

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37
Q

Footage from Milgram’s experiment shows that the participants were visibly ___.

A

stressed

38
Q

What are two main explanations for obedience as identified in Milgram’s study?

A

Agentic state and legitimacy of authority

39
Q

What is the agentic state in the context of Milgram’s explanation for obedience?

A

The agentic state is a mental state in which an individual sees themselves as acting as the agent on behalf of an authority figure.

40
Q

Why does an individual in the agentic state not feel guilt or responsibility for their actions?

A

Because they believe the responsibility for their actions lies with the authority figure.

41
Q

What is the autonomous state?

A

The autonomous state is when individuals act according to their own principles and feel responsible for their actions, opposite to the agentic state.

42
Q

What is an agentic shift in Milgram’s explanation of obedience?

A

It is the shift from an autonomous state to an agentic state, occurring in the presence of an authority figure.

43
Q

What is the key difference between the agentic state and the autonomous state?

A

In the agentic state, individuals feel they are acting on behalf of an authority and do not feel responsible, whereas in the autonomous state, individuals act on their own principles and feel responsible for their actions.

44
Q

What role does an authority figure play in the agentic shift?

A

The presence of an authority figure prompts the agentic shift, moving an individual from an autonomous state to an agentic state.

45
Q

True or False: In the agentic state, individuals feel fully responsible for their actions.

A

False. In the agentic state, individuals believe the authority figure is responsible.

46
Q

The agentic state is a mental state where individuals see themselves as acting as the ___ of an authority figure.

A

Agent

47
Q

An agentic shift is the movement from an ___ state to an ___ state.

A

autonomous; agentic

48
Q

What is meant by “legitimacy of authority” in the context of obedience?

A

It refers to the idea that society needs authority figures, like police or judges, to maintain order, and people generally accept their right to give orders.

49
Q

How do individuals come to understand legitimacy of authority?

A

Through socialisation, where people learn their position within the social hierarchy and understand who has authority over them.

50
Q

What visible symbols communicate legitimacy of authority?

A

Uniforms are common symbols that communicate authority.

51
Q

Name some settings that can communicate legitimacy of authority.

A

Settings like police stations, government centres, and courts can communicate legitimacy of authority.

52
Q

Why do most people accept legitimacy of authority in society?

A

Because it is believed to be necessary for society to function properly.

53
Q

True or False: People understand legitimacy of authority naturally without learning from society.

A

False. People learn about legitimacy of authority through socialisation.

54
Q

Through socialisation, people learn their position within the social ___.

A

Hierarchy

55
Q

___ are visible symbols that communicate legitimacy of authority.

A

Uniforms

56
Q

How did legitimacy of authority play a role in Milgram’s experiment?

A

The lab coat worn by the experimenter acted as a symbol of authority, making participants more likely to obey instructions.

57
Q

In Milgram’s original 1963 study, what percentage of participants continued to the maximum shock level of 450 volts?

A

65% of participants continued all the way to 450 volts.

58
Q

What three situational variables did Milgram investigate to see their effect on obedience?

A

Proximity, location, and uniform.

59
Q

What three situational variables did Milgram investigate to see their effect on obedience?

A

Proximity, location, and uniform.

60
Q

How did changing the proximity between the participant and authority figure affect obedience in Milgram’s study?

A

When the authority figure gave instructions via telephone instead of in person, obedience rates dropped from 65% to 21%.

61
Q

How did increased distance between participant and authority figure influence the participant’s mental state?

A

Increased distance made participants less likely to remain in the agentic state and more likely to return to an autonomous state.

62
Q

How did changing the location of Milgram’s experiment affect obedience levels?

A

Conducting the experiment in a run-down office building instead of Yale University reduced obedience to 47.5%.

63
Q

Why did holding the experiment at Yale University initially increase obedience?

A

Yale’s high status as a university increased the scientist’s legitimacy of authority, making them seem more genuine.

64
Q

What impact did a low-status location have on participants’ perception of authority?

A

The low-status location reduced the legitimacy of authority, leading to a lower obedience rate.

65
Q

What change in uniform affected obedience levels in Milgram’s study?

A

When the experimenter in the lab coat was replaced by someone in regular clothes, obedience dropped to 20%.

66
Q

Why did the lab coat worn by the experimenter increase obedience in Milgram’s study?

A

The lab coat acted as a symbol of authority, increasing the legitimacy of the experimenter and thus, obedience.

67
Q

True or False: In the proximity variation, obedience increased when the authority figure provided instructions via telephone.

A

False. Obedience decreased to 21%.

68
Q

True or False: Conducting the experiment at a prestigious location, like Yale University, helped maintain higher obedience levels.

A

True

69
Q

When the lab coat-wearing experimenter was replaced by a confederate in ___ clothes, obedience dropped to 20%.

A

Regular

70
Q

In a run-down office building, obedience rates dropped to ___%.

A

47.5%

71
Q

Name 2 strengths for Milgram’s study
Support for Agentic State and Legitimacy of Authority

A

• Milgram’s study supports agentic state and legitimacy of authority.
• Obedience dropped when the authority figure’s uniform changed or when orders were given by phone (reducing proximity).
• This showed that legitimacy of authority and proximity affect obedience by making participants less likely to stay in an agentic state and more likely to act on their own principles.

72
Q

Name 2 strengths for Milgram’s study
High Control and Replicability

A

• Milgram used standardized procedures for high control in the study.
• Pre-recorded responses and clear scripts ensured consistency for all participants.
• This allowed for replications and made the study more reliable, improving its internal validity.

73
Q

Name 2 limitations for Milgram’s study
Lack of Realism

A

The study had low mundane realism and ecological validity.
• The task (shocking) and setting (a lab with a shock generator) were unusual.
• Participants might have guessed it wasn’t real, reducing external validity, meaning the results may not apply to real-life situations.

74
Q

Name 2 limitations for Milgram’s study
Gender Bias and Individual Differences

A

• The study only used male participants.
• 35% of participants resisted the authority figure.
• Dispositional factors, like personality traits (e.g., authoritarian personality), may explain why some participants resisted, making the findings less generalizable to all genders and individuals.

75
Q

What did Adorno want to understand about obedience in WWII?

A

Adorno wanted to understand antisemitism and why people obeyed during WWII.

76
Q

What is Adorno’s view on obedience?

A

Unlike Milgram, who thought obedience is due to the situation, Adorno believed that high obedience comes from dispositional traits, specifically the Authoritarian Personality.

77
Q

How does Adorno define the Authoritarian Personality?

A

The Authoritarian Personality is a set of personality traits that make a person more likely to be obedient to authority, such as respect for higher status and hostility towards those with low status.

78
Q

What shapes the Authoritarian Personality?

A

It’s shaped by strict authoritarian parenting with harsh physical punishments. This leads to displaced anger, often towards minority groups.

79
Q

What are the traits of the Authoritarian Personality? (5)

A

• High respect for authority figures
• Hostile to people with lower status
• Fixed stereotypes about groups
• Conformist and conventional beliefs
• Dogmatic views on morality (clear ideas about right and wrong, no grey areas)

80
Q

What is the F-Scale and how does it measure the Authoritarian Personality?

A

The F-Scale (Fascism Scale) is a questionnaire that measures the Authoritarian Personality. It includes questions on nine factors, like Authoritarian Submission and Power and Toughness.

81
Q

What does Authoritarian Submission mean in the F-Scale?

A

Authoritarian Submission means having an uncritical attitude towards authority, like agreeing that obedience is the most important value to teach children.

82
Q

What does Power and Toughness mean in the F-Scale?

A

Power and Toughness refers to a preoccupation with dominance, submission, and identifying with powerful figures. For example, thinking people are either weak or strong.

83
Q

True or False: The Authoritarian Personality has flexible ideas about right and wrong.

A

False – People with an Authoritarian Personality have rigid views about what is right and wrong.

84
Q

How does Adorno link the Authoritarian Personality to Freud’s theory?

A

Adorno suggested that anger from strict parenting is displaced onto others, especially minority groups, which is similar to Freud’s ideas of repressed emotions.

85
Q

How does Adorno link the Authoritarian Personality to Freud’s theory?

A

Adorno suggested that anger from strict parenting is displaced onto others, especially minority groups, which is similar to Freud’s ideas of repressed emotions.

86
Q

True or False: The Authoritarian Personality is primarily shaped by adult experiences.

A

False – It is shaped by early childhood experiences and parenting style.

87
Q

Name 2 features of people with the Authoritarian Personality.

A

• Rigid beliefs about right and wrong
• Hostility towards people of lower status

88
Q

What does it mean to be a conformist with conventional beliefs in the Authoritarian Personality?

A

It means having traditional beliefs and following social norms without questioning them.

89
Q

What’s a strength of Adorno’s theory for explaining obedience?

A

A: It explains why some people obey more than others.
P: Milgram found 35% of participants resisted authority, which can’t be explained by situation alone.
E: Adorno’s theory suggests that having an Authoritarian Personality makes some people more obedient.
T: This shows how Adorno’s theory accounts for individual differences in obedience.

90
Q

What study supports Adorno’s theory?

A

A: Elms and Milgram (1966) found support.
P: They tested 20 obedient and 20 defiant participants from Milgram’s study.
E: The obedient group scored higher on the F-scale, showing they had Authoritarian Personalities.
T: This supports Adorno’s idea that people with an authoritarian personality are more likely to obey.

91
Q

What’s a limitation of Adorno’s theory?

A

A: Adorno’s theory is based on correlation, not cause and effect.
P: The link between abusive childhoods and authoritarian personalities can only be studied by correlation.
E: This means Adorno can’t prove abusive parenting causes authoritarianism and obedience.
T: So, Adorno’s theory lacks experimental evidence like Milgram’s research does for situational explanations.

92
Q

What’s a problem with the F-scale used to measure authoritarianism?

A

A: The F-scale has bias and may not be accurate.
P: The scale tends to make people agree with statements (acquiescence bias).
E: This can lead to inflated scores for authoritarianism. Also, Adorno’s left-wing views may have biased the scale against right-wing people.
T: This affects the validity of the F-scale, making Adorno’s theory less reliable.

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