Situational Variables Affecting Obedience Flashcards
What are the three variables that affect obedience?
- Proximity.
- Location.
- Uniform.
What does proximity refer to?
The physical closeness of an authority figure to the person they are giving an order to?
How is close proximity thought to affect the pressure to obey?
Increases the pressure.
What did Milgram find when he made the researcher leave the room and give the orders over the phone?
Obedience rate dropped from 65% to 21%.
How else did Milgram test proximity alongside the researcher?
He tested the proximity of the learner as well as the researcher.
What was the obedience rate in Milgram’s original study?
65%.
What was the obedience rate when the learner and the teacher were in the same room?
40%.
What was the obedience rate when the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto the shock plate?
30%.
What does ‘location’ refer to?
The place an order is issued; the status or prestige associated with the location.
Where was Milgram’s original study conducted?
Yale University.
Was the location of Milgram’s original study prestigious>
Yes.
Where did Milgram re-do the study to test the effect of location?
A run-down office.
What was the obedience rate when Milgram conducted the study in a run-down office?
48%.
What does ‘uniform’ refer to?
The specific outfit worn by an authority figure that is symbolic of their authority.
Who conducted research into the effect of uniform?
Bickman (1974).
