situational variables obedience- social influence

Question 1

what is proximity

Answer 1

milgram- teacher could hear learner not see him
proximity variation- T and L were in same room and obedience dropped from 65% TO 40%
touch proximity variaton-T had to force L hand onto electroshock plate, ifresued he had to place it there himself after giving wrong answer, obedience dropped to 30%
remote instruction variation- experimenter left room and gave instructions to T by telephone, obedience dropped to 20.5%
decresed proximity allows poeple to psychologically distance themselves from consequence of actions

Question 2

what is location

Answer 2

milgram- variation in run down office block rather than prestigious yale uni- obedience fell to 47.5%
uni environment gave study legitimacy and authority, pps more obedient in this location perceived experimenter shared legitimacy and that obedience was expted, obedience still quite high in office block because pps perceived scientific nature of study

Question 3

what is uniform

Answer 3

xperimenter wore grey lab coat as symbol of authority and in another experimenter called away because inconvenient telephone call at start of procedure, role taken over by ordinary member of public in everyday clothes rather than lab coat- obedience dropped to 20%

Question 4

what is research support (eval)

Answer 4

other studies demobnstrated influence of situational variables on obedience
field experiment in nyc bickman had three confederates dress in different outfits- jacket and tie, milkmans outfit and security guards outfit, confederates stood in street and asked passers by to perform tasks such as picking up litter, twice as likely to obey dressed as security guard than one dressed in jacket and tie
supports view situational variable does have effect on obedience

Question 5

what is cross cultural replications (eval)

Answer 5

findings replicated in other cultures
researchers used more realistic procedure than milgrams study in dutch pps
pps ordered to say stressful things in interview to someone desperate for job
90% pps obeyed
researchers replicated migrams findings concerning proximity- when person giving orders not present obedience decreased
suggests findings not limited to americans or men but are valid across cultures and apply to women too

replications research not cross cultural
smith and bond- identified two replicaiotns betwee 1968 and 1985 that took place in india and jordan- both culturally different from US
may not be appropriate to conclude findings apply to people in all or most cultures

Question 6

what is low internal validity (eval)

Answer 6

pps may have been aware procedure fake
orne and holland- point out that it is even more likely in variations because extra manipulation of variales- experimenter replaced by memvber of public
milgram recognised they may have worked it out
unclear whether findings due to operation of obedience or because pps saw through deception and play acted or responded to demand characteristics