Situationa Variables Affecting Obedience

Question 1

What is the proximity variation:

Answer 1

In this variation the learner and teacher were placed in the same room and obedience fell to 40% as participants could directly see mr Wallace’s anguish

Question 2

What is the touch proximity variation?

Answer 2

The teacher had to force mr Wallace’s arm onto a metal plate to administer the shock. Obedience fell to 30%

Question 3

What is the absent experimenter variation?

Answer 3

The proximity of the experimenter also matters. In this variation the experimenter left the room and have the order via telephone. Most of the participants missed out shocks or gave lower ones that they were ordered. Obedience was 21%

Question 4

What is the alternate setting variation?

Answer 4

In the alternate setting variation - the experiment was conducted in a rundown office building in downtown Bridgeport Connecticut by an experimenter wearing casual clothes. All the other variation were carried out in Yale uni. The obedience rate of this variation was 48%. Participants reported that the location of being at Yale uni gave them confidence in the experimenter and the study. The lower status of the rundown office changed the participants perception of the legitimate authority of the experimenter. The experimenter at Yale had a higher authority than at the rundown office, which resulted in higher obedience rates.

Question 5

How do uniforms impact obedience?

Answer 5

Uniforms have a big impact on obedience - uniforms are a visible sign of authority. Some display power and status, for example a police uniform whereas some show no power, like a prison uniform.

Bickman asked some confederates to order passers by to pick some litter of the floor or move away from the bus stop. The confeds were either dressed as a guard, a milkman or civilian in smart clothes. 90% obeyed guard and only 50% obeyed civilian. Person in guard uniform more likely to obeyed