SOCIAL INFLUENCE - situational variables of obedience

Question 1

what are the 3 situational variables of obedience?

Answer 1

• location
• uniform
• proximity

Question 2

what were the effects of proximity on obedience rates?

Answer 2

• teacher and learner in the same room
  (40%)
• teacher forces learner’s hand on the place
  (30%)
• experimenter have orders over the phone
  (20.5% and many pretended to shock instead)

Question 3

what were the effects of location on obedience rates?

Answer 3

• baseline study at yale university
  (65%)
• run-down office
  (47.5%)

Question 4

what were the effects of uniform on obedience rates?

Answer 4

• experimenter player by ‘member of the public’

20%

Question 5

EVALUATION

what did BICKMAN do? and how does this relate to MILGRAM’s situational variables?

Answer 5

• used 3 confederate to give orders to the public
  (one dressed in a suit, one in a milkman’s uniform, and one in a security guard’s uniform)
• twice as likely to obey the security guard than the suit confederate
  so…
• supports MILGRAM’s conclusion that uniform conveys authority and will produce obedience

Question 6

EVALUATION

what did MIRANDA do? and how does this relate to MILGRAM’s situational variables?

Answer 6

• found an obedience rate of 90% amongst Spanish students
  so. ..
• increases the population validity of MILGRAM’s study
  (cross-cultural)

HOWEVER

• SMITH and BOND states the focus of study of western cultures cannot be applied to eastern cultures

Question 7

EVALUATION

what does MANDEL say? and how does this relate to MILGRAM’s situational variables?

Answer 7

• criticises MILGRAM’s conclusion as it suggests an ‘obedience alibi’ or an excuse
• offensive to holocaust survivors as it may excuse the nazi’s evil behaviour as they were following orders
  (ethical implications of social sensitivity)