Practical

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To determine if there was a difference in the level of obedience in men and women using year 12 Collegiate students who were approached and asked to do the questionnaire containing a variety of question styles. The obedience was measured using the mean and standard deviation which allowed us to see the range of results. An opportunity sample was used

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

Approached a psychology class (opportunity sample)
Knew study and its aim as had been studying it, could lead to demand characteristics
Left to read consent from and instructions and complete consent form
Returned forms and handed jn debrjef slip so they were aware of true aim and had right to withdraw
Self rated obedience from a scale of 1-10
Calculated standard deviation, mean median and mode range and iq range based in this
Results were plotted in a bar chart w mean and self reported

Question 3

Results

Answer 3

Females standard deviation (smaller than males w a difference of 0.54)
Females results more consistent, more chance of skewed results within males
Female mean level of obedience higher than males (difference if 0.5) tells us overall females in our sample were more obedient but not by significant margin

Question 4

Conclusion

Answer 4

Women were more obedient than men, supported by Sheridan and kings experiment when females administered the full voltage of shock to puppies. The results show females are more obedient but the results are minute and aren’t big enough to share true representation between obedience and genders a bit like Milgram’s variation 8 study

Question 5

Generalisability

Answer 5

• No gender bias - 5 males and 7 females
• Population validity – all participants were 18 or younger
• Used opportunity sample
• Population validity – all participants were raised in Britain
• Small sample size – 12 participants

Question 6

Reliability
Strength

Answer 6

o Inter-rater: Qualitative analysis of open ended questions – thematic / content analysis
o Replicable: standardised questionnaire and instructions
o Done in the same room, on the same day, all were working on their own, in P5, using a biro pen in silence

Question 7

Reliability weakness

Answer 7

o Not a lot of open questions on the questionnaire
o Only 8 questions, 6 were closed, only 2 were open, the questions were ‘under what circumstances do you disobey orders’
Participant knew the true aim which could have lead to demand characteristics

Question 8

Application

Answer 8

Allows us to see how obedience levels can vary in men and women and also links to the soldiers in Nazi Germany who said they were just following orders. Allows us to understand why people might obey orders and under what instance may not be their fault as they have entered the agentic shift.

Question 9

Validity

Answer 9

• population validity – was lacking as the age range was very limited (16 to 17)
All participants were privately educated and say the results were not representative of a wider population including those who are states educated

• Ecological validity – the study was ecologically valid because the questionnaire was conducted in a classroom environment where participants would usually expect to be subject to questionnaires and psychological experiments
• Gender bias – no real gender bias as participants were five males and seven females
• All participants raised in Britain, no ethnicities stated

Question 10

Ethics

Answer 10

No psychological distress
Pps were informed and debriefed
Offered counselling