Situational Variables

Question 1

What is Proximity?

Answer 1

The physical closeness or distance of an authority figure to the person they are giving an order to. It also refers to the physical closeness of the person carrying out an order to their ‘victim’.

Question 2

What is Location?

Answer 2

The place where an order is issued. The status or prestige of the place can impact on obedience.

Question 3

What is Uniform?

Answer 3

The clothes an authority figure wears that symbolizes their position of authority.

Question 4

What effects did Proximity have on Milgram’s findings?

Answer 4

• When teacher and learner where in same room obedience rates dropped to 40%
• Teacher physically places learner’s hand onto electroshock plate if Mr. Wallace refused - conformity dropped to 30%.
• Experimenter gave instructions over the phone which dropped conformity to 20.5%.

Question 5

Explain how a decrease in proximity affects a ‘victim’.

Answer 5

• Allows people to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions. Etc. when teacher and learner where separated, the teacher could not see the harm they were doing.

Question 6

What effects did Location have on Milgram’s findings?

Answer 6

• Run down building caused conformity rates to drop to 47.5%

Question 7

Explain how a change in Location affects a ‘victim’.

Answer 7

• The university environment gave the study legitimacy and authority.
• Run-down office block made legitimacy less obvious therefore obedience was lower.

Question 8

What effects did Uniform have on Milgram’s findings?

Answer 8

• From changing from a lab coat to ordinary clothing caused obedience to drop to 20%.

Question 9

Explain how a change in Uniform affects a ‘victim’.

Answer 9

• Uniform encourage obedience because they are widely recognized symbols of authority

Question 10

Give a supporting evaluation for Situational Variables.

Answer 10

• Example: Bickman (1974) had three confederate - one wore milkman’s outfit, one wore jacket and tie, and one wore security guard’s uniform. They asked the public to pick up litter or pay money for the parking meter. He found that public were more likely to obey the security guard.
• 19% obeyed the Jacket and tie
• 14% obeyed the milkman
• 38% obeyed the security guard

Question 11

Give an evaluation criticizing Milgram’s study with Situational Variable.

Answer 11

• Participants may have been aware the procedure was faked due to extra manipulation of variable. For example when the experimenter is replaced by a ‘member of public’.
• Milgram himself recognized that this situation was contrived (deliberately raised) that some participants worked out the truth. Therefore, results may not be reliable.

Question 12

Summarise your AO1 knowledge into roughly 6 points for a 16 marker.
What could you say?

Answer 12

• Define what Situational Variables
• Define what Proximity is - example is Milgram’s
• Define what Location is - example in Milgram’s
• Define what Uniform is - example in Milgram’s