situational variables

Question 1

proximity

Answer 1

obedience - 40% (down from 65%) when learner and teacher in the same room

proximity means teacher cannot psychologically distance self from consequences of actions

when experimenter left room and gave instructions to teacher through phone - 20.5%
when experimenter forces the learner’s hand on plate - 30%

Question 2

location

Answer 2

obedience = 47.5% in run-down office building

prestige of yale university gave the setting more credibility and legitimacy than run-down office

Question 3

uniform

Answer 3

obedience = 20% when experimenter’s role taken by ordinary member of the public

uniform is strong symbol of legitimate authority

Question 4

what are situational variables

Answer 4

features of immediate physical and social environment which may influence a person’s behaviour

Question 5

research support

Answer 5

P - strength is other studies have demonstrated the influence of situational variables on obedience
E - field experiment - Bickman - 3 confederates dress in different outfits - jacket and tie, milkman’s outfit and security guard’s uniform
E - stood in street and asked passers-by to perform tasks such as handing over a coin - twice as likely to obey security over jacket and tie
L - supports situational variables such as uniform has effect on obedience

Question 6

cross-cultural replications

Answer 6

P - strength is findings have been replicated in other cultures
E - Dutch participants ordered to say stressful things in an interview to someone desperate for job
E - 90% obeyed - replicated concerning proximity - when person giving orders not present, obedience decreased dramatically
L - Milgram’s findings about obedience were not just limited to Americans - valid across cultures

P - However, not very cross-cultural
E - Smith and Bond - only two replications that took place in India and Jordan
E - other replications took place in countries such as Australia or Spain that are more culturally similar to the US
L - may not be appropriate to conclude Milgram’s findings apply to all people in all or most cultures

Question 7

low internal validity

Answer 7

P - limitation is participants may have been aware the procedure was fake
E - Orne and Holland - criticism of Milgram’s baseline study - point out that it is more likely in variations because of extra manipulation variables
E - eg replaced by member of public - milgram recognised that situation so contrived that some participants can work out truth
L - unclear whether findings genuinely due to operation of obedience or because saw through deception and responded to demand characteristics