Situational variable affecting obedience as investigated by Milgram Flashcards
what do situational variables form
Situational variables form an external explanation of obedience.
Milgram’s variations of his procedure, performed after his main study identified several important situational factors:
Proximity
Location
Uniform
what does proximity involve
Proximity involves how aware individuals are of the consequences of their actions in obeying authority figures.
How was this found in Milgram’s study(proximity)
When the physical distance between the teacher and the learner was made closer, participants were less able to divorce themselves from the consequences of their actions and so obedience rates were lower.
Milgram’s finding (proximity)
Milgram (1974) found that when the teacher and learner were in the same room as each other (proximity condition), so the teacher could see the learner’s distress, obedience declined from 62.5% to 40%.
When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto an apparent shock plate (touch proximity condition),how much did obedience fall
30%
what did the findings of proximity in Milgram’s study suggest
The closer the physical proximity between the teacher and learner, the more aware the teacher became of the consequences of his actions, and the less able they were to obey the given orders.
Why is the location of an environment relevant
The location of an environment can be relevant to the amount of perceived legitimate authority a person giving orders is seen to have.
where are obedience rates highest (location)
Obedience rates are often highest in institutionalised settings where obedience is instilled into members
In Milgram’s variation in a run-down office block what did the obedience rates fall too
found that obedience fell from 62.5% (delivering 450v shock) to 47.5%.
What does wearing a uniform do to obedience rates
The wearing of uniforms can add to the perception of legitimacy of authority, thus increasing obedience rates.
In Milgram’s study what was the confederate researcher wearing
In Milgram’s study, the confederate researcher wore a grey lab coat to give him an air of authority.
what did the grey lab coat in Milgram’s study convey
The grey lab coat conveyed power and authority, as a scientist.
what did Bickman’s study entail
When ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin to a stranger for a parking meter or move away from a bus stop
what were the results of Bickman’s study
30% would obey his research assistant when he was dressed in civilian clothes
47% when dressed as a milkman
76% when he wore a security guard’s uniform.
What did Bickman’s study suggest
People would obey the guard even when he walked away after giving the order, which suggests they obeyed not because they felt forced to do so, but because they believed he had legitimate authority, which was conveyed by the uniform he wore.
what did David Mandel claim about the ‘obedience alibi’
David Mandel (1998) argues that research into situational variables (proximity, location, uniform) offers an excuse or ‘alibi’ for evil behaviour and that Milgram’s findings have led to an oversimplified explanation of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.
