Situational Variables Affecting Obedience Flashcards
What are the three variables?
Proximity
Location
Uniform
How did Milgram vary proximity?
Proximity Variation : Both the teacher and the learner were in the same room, so the learners reactions were visible.
Touch proximity : the teacher had to actually force the learners arm down onto a metal plate to administer the shocks.
Absent experimenter variation : the experimenter left the room after giving his instructions and gave the rest over the phone.
What were the results of the variation in proximity?
Proximity variation : obedience fell to 40%
Touch proximity variation : obedience fell to 30%
Absent experimenter variation : most missed out on shocks or gave lower voltages. Obedience fell to 21%
What do the results of variation in proximity show?
Proximity and touch proximity : it is harder to obey an order to harm someone when we can see the negative consequences of our actions.
Absent experimenter : is it easier to obey someone when we are at a distance from them.
How did Milgram vary location?
Alternative setting location : the experiment was carried out in a rundown office in Bridgeport Connecticut by an experimenter wearing casual clothes. All the other variations were carried out at the impressive Yale University.
What were the results of variation in location? Why?
Obedience rate was 48%.
Participants said the location of Yale university gave them more confidence in the integrity of the people involved.
How did Milgram vary location?
In the alternative setting the experimenter did not wear his uniform.
How did uniform affect the results?
Uniforms have a powerful impact on obedience. They are easily recognisable symbols of power and status. Some show someone has power and status, and sometimes they show that someone doesn’t have power and status.
