situational variables in obedience Flashcards
What was the aim of Milgram’s baseline study?
To investigate obedience to authority.
How many participants were in Milgram’s baseline study?
40 male participants.
What task were participants instructed to perform?
Administer electric shocks to a “learner.”
Were the shocks real in Milgram’s study?
No
What percentage of participants continued to 450 volts?
0.65
At what voltage did every participant continue to?
At least 300 volts.
What did Milgram’s study demonstrate?
The powerful influence of authority on behavior.
What major ethical concern did Milgram’s study raise?
Psychological distress in participants.
What was Milgram testing in his proximity conditions?
The impact of physical closeness on obedience.
What happened when the teacher and learner were in the same room?
Obedience dropped to 40%.
What happened when the experimenter gave instructions over the phone?
Obedience dropped to 21%.
What happened when the teacher had to force the learner’s hand onto the shock plate?
Obedience dropped to 30%.
What does reduced proximity lead to?
Increased psychological distance and lower obedience.
What effect did location have on Milgram’s study?
Obedience dropped to 47.5% in a rundown office.
Why did obedience drop in the rundown office location?
Participants questioned the experiment’s credibility.
How does institutional support affect obedience?
Prestigious settings increase obedience levels.
What environmental factor reinforced obedience at Yale University?
The structured
What study supports the role of uniform in obedience?
Bushman’s uniform study.
What were the obedience rates in Bushman’s uniform study for a police uniform?
0.72
What were the obedience rates in Bushman’s uniform study for business attire?
0.48
Why does a uniform increase obedience?
It enhances the perception of authority.
Why does a lack of uniform reduce obedience?
It weakens perceived authority and credibility.
What concept explains why people resist non-uniformed authority figures?
Increased sense of personal responsibility.
What criticism did Perry (2013) make of Milgram’s study?
Participants expressed doubts about the shocks.
What did Orne and Holland (1968) argue about Milgram’s study?
Participants may have shown demand characteristics.
What does “demand characteristics” mean?
Participants guessing the study’s true aim and altering behavior.
What evidence contradicts the claim that Milgram’s study lacked realism?
Participants still obeyed when real shocks were given to animals.
What was the key finding of Sheridan and King’s (1972) study?
54% of males and 100% of females administered what they believed were fatal shocks to a puppy.
Why does Sheridan and King’s study support Milgram’s findings?
It shows obedience occurred even when shocks were real.
Why must caution be taken with Sheridan and King’s results?
The study involved animals
What was the aim of Hofling et al.’s (1966) study?
To test obedience in a real hospital setting.
What did Hofling find regarding nurses’ obedience?
21 out of 22 nurses followed dangerous instructions from an unknown doctor.
Why does Hofling’s study support Milgram’s findings?
It showed high obedience levels in a real-world scenario.
What is one strength of Hofling’s study?
It has high ecological validity.
How did Kilham and Mann (1974) challenge Milgram’s findings?
Only 16% of Australians shocked to 450 volts.
What did Mantell (1971) find about obedience in Germany?
85% of participants obeyed to 450 volts.
What does cross-cultural research suggest about obedience?
Cultural values influence obedience levels.
Why might German participants show higher obedience rates?
Stronger hierarchical socialisation.
Why might Australian participants show lower obedience rates?
A culture that values independence and personal responsibility.
What real-life event can Milgram’s findings help explain?
The My Lai massacre.
How does Kelman and Hamilton (1989) link Milgram’s study to the My Lai massacre?
The soldiers were obeying orders from higher-ranking officers.
What does the My Lai massacre demonstrate about authority?
People can commit extreme acts under powerful authority figures.
How does Milgram’s research have real-world application?
It helps explain obedience in wartime atrocities.
What personality theory offers an alternative explanation for Milgram’s findings?
Adorno’s theory of authoritarianism.
What does Adorno’s theory suggest about obedience?
People raised in authoritarian families are more likely to obey.
What evidence from Milgram’s study supports Adorno’s theory?
Obedient participants showed higher levels of authoritarian traits.
What does Adorno’s theory suggest about situational factors?
Personality factors may also influence obedience.
Why does combining Milgram’s and Adorno’s theories improve understanding?
It shows obedience is influenced by both personality and situational factors.
What ethical issues were present in Milgram’s study?
Deception and psychological distress.
How did Milgram attempt to address ethical concerns?
He conducted thorough debriefings.
What long-term positive impact did Milgram’s study have?
It contributed to the development of ethical guidelines in psychology.
