Variations of Milgram's study

Question 1

How did Milgram change his study to test the effect of Proximity on obedience?

Answer 1

Learner/Teacher proximity:

-When ppt was in the same room as the ‘learner’, obedience fell to 40%
-When ppt was in touching distance of the ‘learner’, obedience fell to 30%

Authority figure proximity:

-When the experimenter wasn’t present, obedience dropped to 21%

Question 2

AO3 -

Proximity (Nazis)

Answer 2

Nazis ordered to kill Polish Jews

-Given the option to carry out a different task instead if they wanted to

-However, even though they were close up to their victims they still chose to do it.

Question 3

How did Milgram change his study to test the effect of Location on obedience?

Answer 3

Study was repeated in a run-down office building rather than at Yale University Lab.

Obedience rates slightly dropped to 48%

-In the Lab, ppts felt more confident in the people involved due to the setting so obeyed more

Question 4

AO3 -

Location (Not surprising)

Answer 4

Obedience due to location was not surprising

-A lab represents a scientific study
-This experiment WAS a scientific study so it is expected that people would feel more comfortable there

In real life, when it is not a scientific study, location may have less of an impact

-E.G criminals won’t care about the location of their crime

Question 5

How did Milgram change his study to test the effects of Uniform on obedience?

Answer 5

Obedience was higher when the experimenter wore a lab coat

When the experimenter was replaced by another ‘participant’ (actually a confederate) in plain clothes, obedience levels dropped to 20%

Question 6

AO3 +

Uniform (Children asked about policemen)

Answer 6

Children aged 5-9 were asked who they thought was able to make an arrest

-They chose non-police who were in police uniform, rather than the plain clothed policemen.

Therefore demonstrates the impact of uniform on obedience