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Psychology - Social influence > Psychology - Social Influence - Obedience > Flashcards

Psychology - Social Influence - Obedience Flashcards

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1
Q

Obedience

A

A form of social influence where an individual follows a direct order from a figure of authority who has the power to punish the individual.

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2
Q

C.P. Snow (1961)

A

ā€œWhen you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have ever been committed in the name of rebellion.ā€

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3
Q

What is an example of Obedience in C.P. Snowā€™s (1961) view?

A

The Naziā€™s systematically killing 6 million people during Hitlerā€™s regime

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4
Q

What was the aim of the Milgram (1963) study?

A

To investigate the level of obedience participants would show when an authority figure tells them to administer electric shocks to another human being

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5
Q

What hypothesis was Milgram (1963) testing?

A

The ā€˜Germans are differentā€™ hypothesis

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6
Q

How were participants selected in the Milgram (1963) study?

A

Using volunteer sampling method

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7
Q

How many participants were in the Milgram (1963) study and what were they paid?

A

40 males, paid $4/hour.

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8
Q

What was the method of the Milgram (1963) study?

A

Pps were then paired with a learner, Mr Wallace (confederate), and told that they were the teacher. They then witnessed the learner get taken to a room and having electrodes attached to them. The teacher and researcher would be in a room with an electric shock generator.. they were given prods to continue:

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9
Q

What was the range of switches on the electric shock generator?

A

switches that ranged from 15 - 450 volts

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10
Q

What would happen in the Milgram (1963) experiment if the learner got a question wrong?

A

They would have to be shocked and the voltage would increase each time

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11
Q

What prods were given in the Milgram (1963) study?

A
  • Please continue/ go on - The experiment requires that you continue - It is absolutely essential that you continue - You have no other choice, you must go on
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12
Q

How many participants shocked up to 300 volts in Milgrams study?

A

All participants shocked up to 300 volts

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13
Q

How many participants shocked up to 300 volts in Milgrams study?

A

65%

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14
Q

How many participants refused to continue after 300 volts in Milgrams (1963) study?

A

5

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15
Q

How many participants stopped after 330 volts in Milgrams (1963) study?

A

2

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16
Q

How many participants stopped before 450 volts in Milgrams (1963) study?

A

35%

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17
Q

What was the result of the Milgram (1963) study?

A

14 participants defied the experimenter and 26 obeyed.

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18
Q

What was the conclusion of the Milgram (1963) study?

A

the ā€˜Germans are differentā€™ hypothesis was not supported. people obey authority even if their actions may be detrimental

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19
Q

What were the consequences of the Milgram (1963) study?

A
  • Some subjects suffered extreme nervous tension and nervous laughter - Participants were obviously physically sweating and continually asking for reassurance - One participant had an epileptic fit
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20
Q

What were the strengths of Milgramā€™s research?

A
  • Good external validity - Show relationship between authority figure and participants - Hofling et al (1966) on obedient nurses supports this - Supporting replication, Le Jeu De La Mort, The game of death in 2010
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21
Q

Le Jeu De La Mort, The Game of death (2010)

A

Documentary about reality TV and replicates Milgrams study. The participants believed they were on a reality tv show called La Zone Xtreme and were paid to give fake shocks when ordered by the presenter.

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22
Q

What were the results of ā€˜Le Jeu De La Mortā€™?

A

80% of participants gave the max of 460 volts to a man and displayed similar behaviour to Milgramā€™s participants

23
Q

What were the weaknesses of Milgramā€™s research?

A

Low internal validity - demand characteristics, Orne and Holland (1968), Perry (2013). Ethical issues - deception, not fully informed, difficult to withdraw, long term harm

24
Q

What are the three situational variables of obedience?

A

Proximity, Location, Uniform

25
Q

Proximity

A

How physically close the authority figure is to the participant/ how physically close the participant is to the victim and what effect this has on obedience.

26
Q

How did Proximity, in the same room, in Milgrams study effect obedience?

A

obedience dropped from 65% to 40%

27
Q

How did Proximity, in touch, in Milgrams study effect obedience?

A

obedience dropped to 30%

28
Q

How did Proximity, in remote instruction, in Milgrams study effect obedience?

A

obedience dropped to 20.5

29
Q

Location

A

Changed location to a run down building instead of Yale University and obedience fell to 47.5%

30
Q

Uniform

A

When the uniform was changed from a grey lab coat to a confederate in every day clothes, obedience dropped to 20%

31
Q

What are the strengths of Milgramā€™s variations?

A

Research support - Bickman (1974), Cross Cultural replications - Miranda et al (1981), Control of variables

32
Q

Bickman (1974)

A

The power of uniform tested on the uniforms of a milkman, a guard and a suit. obedience for the guard was 80% and 40% for the milkman or civilian

33
Q

Miranda et al (1981)

A

found obedience rates in Spanish students were 90%

34
Q

What are the weaknesses of Milgramā€™s variations?

A

Lack of internal validity. Obedience alibi, - David Mandel (1998)

35
Q

David Mandel (1998)

A

argues that the situational variables make them an excuse for evil behaviour

36
Q

What are the explanations for obedience?

A

The agentic state, Legitimacy of authority, Authoritarian personality

37
Q

What is an agent?

A

Someone who acts for or in place of another

38
Q

Agentic State Theory

A

explains the importance of responsibility. people operate in two ways in social situations. As an individual, people are aware of the consequences of their actions but in an agentic state they see themselves as under the authority of someone else and not responsible for their actions.

39
Q

Agentic shift

A

The change from an autonomous state to an agentic state.

40
Q

Binding factors

A

Aspects of the situation that allow a person to minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour and reduce moral strain. They shift responsibility to the victim.

41
Q

Strengths of Agentic state explanation for obedience

A
  • Blass and Schmitt (2001) showed Milgrams study and asked who was responsible and they blamed the experimenter and not the participant and explained that he was at the top of the social hierarchy so participants were agents
42
Q

Weaknesses of Agentic state explanation for obedience

A
  • doesnā€™t explain why some people didnā€™t obey in Milgramā€™s and Hoflingā€™s study - Research refuted the idea that Naziā€™s behaviour can be explained by the agentic state
43
Q

Legitimate Authority

A

A recognised and official authority in society so some people are granted the power to punish others, Uniforms can symbolise this.

44
Q

Strengths of legitimate authority explanation for obedience

A
  • Legitimate authority figures are important for societies function, - Explains how obedience leads to real life war crimes - Kerman and Hamilton (1989), My Lai Massacre - Explains cultural differences from Kilham and Mann (1974) replication of Milgrams study in Australia and it was 16% obedience - Mantell (1971) found 85% obedience rate in germany
45
Q

Weaknesses

A
  • Not all legitimate authority figures should be obeyed
46
Q

Authoritarian personality

A

More likely to obey authority figures and demonstrate particular personality traits. These personalities are due to receiving harsh discipline from parents during their upbringing such as physical punishment so they become submissive to all authority figures

47
Q

Authoritarian personality traits

A
  • servile towards people of higher status - hostile towards people of lower status - preoccupied with power - inflexible in beliefs and values - conformist and conventional - categorise people as us or them - dogmatic
48
Q

Strengths of the authoritarian personality explanation for obedience

A

Research support - Elms and Milgram (1966), Miller (1975), Altemeyer (1981)

49
Q

Elms and Milgram (1966)

A

Follow up study on Milgrams experiment to test MMPI scale and Fscale. Higher level of authoritarian personality traits among obedient participants

50
Q

Miller (1975)

A

found people who scored high on the Fscale were more likely to obey even if it meant harming themselves

51
Q

Weaknesses of authoritarian personality explanation for obedience

A

Limited explanation, Methodological problems

52
Q

How is there limited explanation of the authoritarian personality explanation for obedience?

A

doesnā€™t explain why majority of Germany are obedient but not so have authoritarian personality, Social identity theory is more relevant

53
Q

How were there Methodological problems with the authoritarian personaily explanation for obedience?

A
  • Questions worded in the same direction so easy to get high - interviewer bias

Psychology - Social influence (3 decks)

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