Situational Variables In Obedience

Question 1

who identified the situational variables in obedience

Answer 1

Milgram

Question 2

what are situational variables

Answer 2

factors that influence the level of obidience shown

Question 3

what are the 3 situational variables identified

Answer 3

proximity
uniform
location

Question 4

what is proximity as a situational variable

Answer 4

the closeness or distance of an authority figure to the person they are giving an order to

Question 5

what are the 3 types of proximity

Answer 5

proximity variation, touch variation and remote instruction variation

Question 6

how is proximity variation shown in Milgram’s study

Answer 6

the teacher and learner were in the same room rather than adjoining rooms

Question 7

how is touch proximity variation shown in Milgram’s study

Answer 7

the teacher would force the learners hand on the electric shock plate if he refused to answer

Question 8

how is remote instruction variation shown in Milgram’s study

Answer 8

the experimenter left the room and gave the instructions to the teacher by telephone

Question 9

what was the baseline study obedience rate

Answer 9

65%

Question 10

what did the obedience rate drop to for proximity variation

Answer 10

40%

Question 11

what did the obedience rate drop to for touch variation

Answer 11

30%

Question 12

what did the obedience rate drop to for remote instruction variation

Answer 12

20.5%

Question 13

what is location as a situational variable

Answer 13

the place where an order is issued

Question 14

how is location shown as a variable in Milgram’s study

Answer 14

located in a run-down office downtown rather than a prestigious uni (Yale)

Question 15

what did the obedience rate drop to for location

Answer 15

47.5%

Question 16

what is uniform as a situational variable

Answer 16

the people in position of authority often have a specific outfit that is symbolic of their authority

Question 17

how is uniform shown as a variable in Milgram’s study

Answer 17

role of experimenter was carried out by an ordinary public member rather than one wearing a grey lab coat

Question 18

what did the obedience rate drop to for uniform

Answer 18

20%

Question 19

What are the strengths of the research on the situational variables

Answer 19

.research support
.cultural replication
.has control variables

Question 20

What are the limitations of the research on the situational variables

Answer 20

.may lack internal validity
.cultural replication was taken place in western society
.provides an obedience alibi (its an excuse for obedience)

Question 21

describe cultural variation as a strength of situational variable research

Answer 21

There was a Spanish study on obedience which was a replication to migrams study and she found 90% obedience rate

Question 22

describe cultural variation as a strength of situational variable research (counterpoint)

Answer 22

it was noted that most replications have taken place in western societies in Spain which isn’t culturally that different from the USA which means that it is premature to conclude that Milgram’s findings about the situational variables apply to people everywhere

Question 23

describe control variables as a strength of situational variable research

Answer 23

milgram systematically altered one variable at a time whilst keeping the rest constant as the study was replicated many times and this gave us more certainty that the changes were due to the variables

Question 24

describe the limitation of the research on situational variables being an ‘obedience alibi’

Answer 24

his findings are an ‘excuse’ for obidience as he suggests it’s the situation rather than the person responsible. Mandel claims this as being offensive to holocaust survivors to suggest that the nazis simply obeyed orders and were victims of situational factors beyond their control