Understand ways to prevent blind obedience to authority figures

Question 1

Factors that affect blind obedience to authority figures

Answer 1

1. Social support
2. Familiarity of the situation
3. Distance
4. Education

Question 2

Social Support (blind obedience)

Answer 2

1. One of the situational factors that lowered obedience in Milgram’s research was the presence of a dissenting ally
2. When we are with others who resist obedience, we are more likely to follow suit. This can be important in everyday life as we are able to look to others for support if we are uncertain that an order from an authority figure is appropriate
3. In some organisations, staff are provided with staff mentors that they can talk to if they are asked to do something they would not choose to do themselves
4. This was demonstrated in the series of experiments that investigated nurses’ obedience to a doctor. Hofling et al. (1966) demonstrated how a doctor would order a nurse to five an overdose of a drug to a patient without an authorising prescription signature
5. Rank and Jacobson (1977) replicated this study, allowing the nurse to discuss the doctor’s order with another nurse. They found significantly less obedience when the nurse found support from a colleague.

Question 3

Familiarity of the situation (blind obedience)

Answer 3

1. We also know that when we are in a situation that is unfamiliar or ambiguous, we are more likely to follow orders because we do not know how to behave
2. The nurses in Hofling et al’s (1966) study were asked to administer a drug that they were unfamiliar with, whereas the drug used in Rank and Jacobsons’s (1977) study was well known to nurses
3. If we have information and knowledge about a situation, we are less likely to look to others or follow orders
4. Nurses are now given information on these obedience studies to encourage them to question authority if they feel the order they have been given is wrong

Question 4

Distance (blind obedience)

Answer 4

1. Milgram demonstrated that the proximity of the authority figure was central to achieving obedience
2. If we increased the distance between ourselves and an authority figure, their impact is lessened
3. This means that we can be taught to walk away from a situation that we are uncomfortable with, meaning we would be less likely to blindly obey

Question 5

Education (blind obedience)

Answer 5

1. Now that we are familiar with Milgram’s research, we know that it can help us identify and resist blind obedience in the future.
2. Education about the dangers of blind obedience is key to resisting it as it can give us insight into our own behaviour
3. Organisations may use education programmed and policies to help support employees who believe they need to question authority