Situational variables (obedience)

• What does the presence of an authority figure influence in a person's behavior?


  It may influence obedience.
• How does the physical presence of an authority figure affect obedience?


  Proximity to the authority figure can increase obedience.
• What is one situational variable that affects obedience according to Milgram's research?


  Proximity.
• What was the obedience rate when the teacher and learner were in the same room in Milgram's study?


  The obedience rate dropped to 40%.
• What happened to the obedience rate when the teacher had to physically force the learner's hand onto a shock plate?


  The obedience rate dropped further to 30%.
• How did the obedience rate change when the experimenter gave instructions by telephone?


  Obedience reduced to 20.5%.
• Why does decreased proximity lead to lower obedience rates?


  It allows people to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions.
• What was the effect of changing the location of the experiment from Yale University to a run-down office block?


  Obedience fell to 47.5%.
• Why did participants perceive higher obedience in the prestigious university setting?


  They believed the experimenter shared legitimacy and that obedience was expected.
• How did the uniform of the experimenter affect obedience in Milgram's study?


  Uniforms encourage obedience as they are recognized symbols of authority.
• What was the obedience rate when the experimenter was replaced by a confederate in everyday clothes?


  The obedience rate dropped to 20%.
• What are the situational variables that affect obedience according to Milgram's research?


  • Proximity: Closer physical presence increases obedience.
  • Location: Prestigious settings increase perceived authority.
  • Uniform: Recognizable authority symbols enhance obedience.
• What did Leonard Bickman's field experiment in New York City demonstrate?


  It showed that situational variables like uniform influence obedience.
• In Bickman's experiment, how did the obedience rates differ based on the confederate's outfit?


  People were twice as likely to obey the security guard than the one in a jacket and tie.
• What did the study by Wim Meeus and Quintin Raaijmakers (1986) find regarding obedience?


  90% of participants obeyed orders to say stressful things to a confederate.
• What is a counterpoint to the claim that Milgram's findings are universally applicable?


  Replications of Milgram's research are mostly limited to Western cultures.
• What is one limitation regarding the internal validity of Milgram's studies?


  Participants may have been aware that the procedure was faked.
• What did Martin Orne and Charles Holland criticize about Milgram's baseline study?


  They pointed out that participants might have seen through the deception.
• What is the implication of participants potentially 'play-acting' in Milgram's studies?


  It raises questions about whether the findings are genuinely due to obedience.
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Milgram's research on obedience?


  Strengths:

  • Demonstrated influence of situational variables.
  • Cross-cultural replications support findings.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Limited cross-cultural applicability.
  • Low internal validity due to potential participant awareness of deception.
• Participants were told they were taking part in an experiment about memory retention and learning.
• Milgram's research aimed to understand how ordinary individuals could become involved in atrocities during World War II.
• The teacher had to administer electric shocks to the learner if they made mistakes, with the voltage increasing as the game progressed.
• The role of authority figures, such as teachers or doctors, can be influential in shaping our behavior.