Social Influence: Situational influence Flashcards
Where was Milgram’s original study conducted?
Teacher and learner were in adjoining rooms so they could hear eachother but not see eachother
Where was the proximity variation of Milgram’s study conducted?
The teacher and learner were in the same room
What were the findings of the proximity variation?
The obedience rate dropped from 65% to 45%
What was the touch proximity variation?
The teacher had to force the learners hand onto a shock plate
What were the findings of the touch proximity variation?
The obedience rate dropped to 30%
What were the conclusions of the proximity variations?
Decreased proximity allows people to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions
What was the location of Milgram’s original study?
At the prestigious Yale University
What was the location of the variation?
In a run down building
What were the findings of the location variation?
Obedience fell to 47.5%
What were the conclusions of the location variation?
The university was legitimate and had authority
What was the uniform in Milgram’s original study?
The experimentor wore a lab coat
What was the uniform variation?
The experimentor took a phone call and was replaced by a member of the public in ordinary clothes
What were the findings of the uniform variation?
Obedience fell to 20%
What were the conclusions of the uniform variation?
Uniform acts as a strong symbol of legitimate authority
What is the strength of situational variables that suggests there is evidence to support?
- Bickman’s confederates dressed in different outfits and issued demands such as picking up litter in NYC
- People were twice as likely to obey security guard rather than jacket/tie or milkman
- Situational variable such as uniform has a powerful effect
What is the strength of situational variables that suggests there is cross cultural replication?
- Miranda et al replicated with Spanish students and 90% obeyed
- Findings are not limited to American males but valid across cultures
What is the limitation of situational variables that suggests there is low internal validity?
- Orne + Holland suggested that the variations were even more suspicious than the baseline study due to extra experimental maniupulation
- Eg. Experimentor replaced by member of public seemed contrived and may have worked it out
- Unclear if results were due to obedience or play acting
What is the limitation that suggests that the situational variations can be dangerous?
- Mandel argues that situational perspective offer excuse or alibi for genocide
- Oversimplify cause of Holocaust and are offensive to survivors
- Permits people to excuse desrtuctive behaviour by saying ‘ I was just following orders’ and can get away with anything
Who are the key thinkers of situational variables?
Milgram
Bickman
Miranda et al
Orne + Holland
Mandel
What are the titles of the evaluation points of situational variables?
- Evidence to support
- Cross cultural replications
- Low internal validity
- Can be dangerous
What did Bickman argue as a strength of situational variables?
Confederates dressed in different clothes and ordered people to pick up litter in NYC. People 2x more likely to obey security guards rather than jacket/tie or milkman
What did Miranda et al argue as a strength of situational variables?
Replication with Spanish students and found 90% obeyed
What did Orne + Holland suggest as a limitation of situational variables?
Extra experimental manipulation caused greater suspicion and replacement of experimentor with everyday clothes seemed contrived, ppts play acted
What did Mandel argue as a limitation of situational variables?
Can be dangerous bc offer excuse or alibi for genocide and get away with anything bc they were ‘just following orders’
