Personality factors affecting obedience

Question 1

What other factors could have affected obedience in Milgram’s study?

Answer 1

They volunteered and were paid so they may have felt a sense of obligation
They may not have known about their right to withdraw from the study
The momentum of compliance (When you start something and feel obliged to end it)

Question 2

Personality factors affecting obedience

Answer 2

Locus of control
Authoritarian personality

Question 3

Locus of control

Answer 3

People with an external locus of control are more likely to follow orders because they are affected by what others tell them and take less responsibility for their own actions
People with an internal locus of control are more likely to be self-directed in their behaviour and not to follow orders of an authority figure

Question 4

Authoritarian personality

Answer 4

A type of personality that tends to be more respectful of authority, right wing and more likely to follow orders

Question 5

Characteristics of an authoritarian personality

Answer 5

Respect for authority figures
Rigid beliefs and attitudes
A strong belief in justice
Right wing politics
Aggressive to those inferior to them

Question 6

The F-scale

Answer 6

A questionnaire used to identify authoritarian personality traits