Situational factors of obedience

Question 1

what are the 3 situational factors that affect obedience

Answer 1

Proximity
Location
Power of uniform

Question 2

what is proximity

Answer 2

how close the participant was to the confederate

Question 3

how did proximity effect obedience levels in milgram’s study

Answer 3

when the p.t and confederate were in the same room obedience rates fell from 65% of p.t going to 450v to 40%

when the teacher had to place learners hand on the shock plate obedience rate fell from 65% to 30%

when the experimenter was absent giving orders via telephone, obedience rates fell to 21%

Question 4

how did location effect obedience levels in milgram’s study

Answer 4

original study took place at Yale which is known to be very prestigious so when the experiment was moved to run down office blocks obedience fell to 48%

Therefore status of the location impacts level of obedience

Question 5

How did power of uniform effect obedience levels in milgram’s study

Answer 5

originally he wore a lab coat, so milgram changed the role of the experimenter was taken over by an ordinary member of the public in everyday clothes obedience fell to 20%

Question 6

what other research supports power of uniform being a situational factor that effects obedience

Answer 6

BUSHMAN (1988)

Question 7

what did Bushman (1988) do in their study

Answer 7

female researcher told member of public to give money to a male researcher for an out of date parking ticket in different uniforms

Question 8

what did Bushman (1988) find in their study

Answer 8

Police uniform = 72%
Business executive = 48%
Beggar = 52%

Question 9

what is a strength of the situational factors of obedience

Answer 9

P: milgrams research demonstartes the importance of situational factors in obedience
E: milgram carried out variations of his study moving from Yale to office blocks
E:percentage of p.t who administered the full 450 volts fell from 65% to 48%
L: highlights impact of location on obedience less credible location resulting in the level of obedience falling

Question 10

what is a weakness of the situational factors of obedience

Answer 10

P: temporal validity of Milgram can be questioned
E: the study was carried out in 1960
E: would the same results be obtained today
L: there may be other explanation of obedience that more relevant to today’s study