Obedience

• Describe the characteristics or features of the Authoritarian personality


  Black and white thinking, inflexible

  Belief that other groups are inferior

  Belief that other groups are to blame for the negatives of society

  Today's society is weaker than in the past

  Absolute submission to authority
• Aim of milgram's study


  To determine whether Germans are more obedient than other groups (prosecuted millions of Jews)
• Process of milgram's study


  Two people in waiting room random allocated teacher or learner by experimenter. Teacher always naive participant and learner always actor (confederate). Teachers told this was a study of effect of punishment on memory. Teacher given small sample shock, then taken to separate room (couldn't see learner). Voltage increased by 15V until 450V, with each incorrect answer. Verbal prods also used to force participants to continue
• Describe the participants in Milgram's study


  40 male American participants aged 20-50 who responded to a newspaper ad, which informed them they'd be paid $4.50 an hour. They ranged in occupation and education levels
• Results of Milgram's study


  100% administered 300V, and only 35 went past this point. 65% of participants then administered the lethal shock of 450V. Milgram noted that the participants showed extreme tension and stress when hearing the distressed learner. Participants were sweating, trembling and stuttering when hearing the learner scream. One participant was so stressed they even suffered an epileptic seizure
• Conclusions of Milgram's study?


  Germans aren't different to Americans; people obey orders from authority, regardless of nationality, even at the risk of potential harm to others. Also repeated experiment in 13 other countries and obtained similar results
• Verbal prods used by experimenter in Milgram's experiment


  1. Please continue
  2. The experiment requires that you continue
  3. It is absolutely essential that you continue
  4. You have no other choice, you must go on
• Describe the setting of Hofling et al.'s study


  Conducted in a real hospital, with 22 nurses, who worked in a meConducted in a real hospital, with 22 nurses, who worked in a medical ward
• Describe the procedure of Hofling et al.'s study


  Unknown physician called nurse on phone and told them to administer am overdose of (fictional) medication 'Astroten' to a patient. Medicine not authorised for use by hospital
• Results and findings of Hofling's study?


  95% of nurses (21/22) willing to administer medication, most of them without verifying it with a supervisor or checking the hospital's policy. Showed high compliance rate in the nurses and lack of critical thinking
• Conclusion of Hofling's study?


  Was a poignant reminder for need of critical thinking and ethical standards in healthcare. Emphasised importance of fostering an environment where medical staff feel empowered to question potentially harmful directives from authority figures
• Aim of Hofling's study


  To test the level of nurses' obedience to an unknown physician, to an order which could potentially harm patients
• Describe beauvois et al

  Documentary in 2012, focusing on a game show made especially for the programme. Participants believed they were on a pilot episode for new show 'le jue de la mort' (the game of death). Paid to administer fake shocks to other participants (actors) in front of studio audience. 80% delivered max shock (460V) to 'unconscious' man. These participants displayed stress and tension, like milgrams participants, supporting milgrams findings
• What happened, during milgrams study, to the actor?


  At 315V, Mr Wallace (actor) became 'unconscious' and did not respond
• Describe Rank and Jacobsons study


  1977 hospital study, with 18 nurses, to test their obedience to doctors. Same process as hoflings study, however this time, nurses could communicate with colleagues, and the location of the authority figure was varied (on phone or in person). Nurses engaged in more critical thinking and compliance reduced. Also increased social support between nurses so more confident in saying something about doctors orders
• How did milgram vary proximity in his experiments?

  In baseline experiment, teacher and learned in separate rooms. He replicated the experiment, however this time the teacher and learner were in the same room. Obedience fell from 65% to 40% as teacher could actually see the learner and their pain, thus felt much worse about administering the shocks, as they were physically observing another in pain as a result of their actions
• How did milgram vary physical force in his experiments?


  In baseline experiment, no physical force upon the learner needed by the teacher. However, milgram replicated experiment so that teacher had to force the learners hand onto the plate (for an electric shock). Obedience levels dropped to 30%, as the teacher felt more responsibility and moral strain for the learner's pain
• How did milgram vary the receiving of instructions during his experiments?


  In baseline experiment, experimenter gave instructions in person. However, milgram replicated study so that instructions given over telephone. Obedience dropped to 21%; authority figure not present, so less pressure to obey
• How did milgram vary location in his studies?


  Baseline experiment in yale university, which has high prestige and importance. Then replicated in a run down building instead. Obedience dropped from 65% to 47.5%; experimenter had less legitimacy compared to before (was respected less)
• How did milgram vary uniform in his studies?

  In baseline experiment, experimenter wore a grey lab coat. Milgram replicated study so that experimenter wore casual clothes instead, presenting as an 'ordinary member of the public'. Obedience levels dropped to 20%; authority was less legitimate
• How does miranda et als study support milgrams findings?

  Miranda replicated milgrams study in Spain in 1981, and found that 90% obeyed and administered the maximum, lethal voltage (450V). Therefore milgrams findings can be applicable to some other cultures and to females as well
• Describe what the agentic state is

  When an individual behaves/acts upon someone else's
• What is the autonomous state?


  The opposite of the agentic state, acting and behaving freely and independently. They feel a sense of responsibility for their actions
• What is the agentic shift?

  The transition between the autonomous state and agentic state. Milgram suggested this occurs when an authority figure, who has a higher social status, presents themselves to the individual
• Describe moral strain


  The anxiety, burden and discomfort we feel when we act against our morals. We can shift this moral strain onto others, and is therefore known as a binding factor; allows for the individual to ignore or minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour
• Describe what is meant by legitimacy of authority


  The authority's legitimacy depends on the acknowledgment and respect they receive from society/others. If they do not receive any respect, or little respect, their authority is not legitimate, whereas if the individual and their role is highly respected and obeyed, their authority is legitimate
• Describe the massacre at my lai


  Milgrams findings were used to explain the notorious war crimes at my lai in 1968 during the Vietnam war. 504 unarmed civilians killed by American soldiers. Women were gang raped, people shot as they exited their homes, with their hands in the air. Soldiers blew up buildings, burned village to the ground and killed all the animals. Only one soldier (Calley) was found guilty. Defense was same as in nuremburg trials, he was just following orders
• Describe Tarnow's study of aviation accidents


  Studied data from a US National Transportation Safety Board review of all serious aviation accidents from 1978-90, where flight crew actions contributed to the crash. Tarnow found the flight crew overly depended on the captain, who had legitimate authority. This was much like the results in milgrams study. NTSB found these 'lack of monitoring' errors in 19 of the 37 accidents
• Describe loci of control


  High internal locus of control means the individual believes their fate is down to their own efforts and behaviours. They're in control of their lives. High external locus of control means they believe life is controlled by luck or chance, and they have very little control over what happens
• Describe the role of social support in resistance to obedience


  Decreased pressure to obey if another obeys (65% to 10%) when desobedient confederate joined naive participant. Confederate acts as a model of dissent for participant. The legitimacy of the authority figure is challenged
• Describe the role of social support in resisting conformity


  If other dissenters are present, increased resistance to conformity; enables participant to follow own conscience. Confederate is a model of independent behaviour. The dissent causes more dissent; majority are not unanimous
• Describe Bickmans 1974 study


  Used to support milgrams investigation of uniform on obedience. Three male confederates dressed as in a: 1) jacket and tie 2) milkman's outfit 3) security guard uniform. Each asked passers by to pick up rubbish or give them a coin for parking meter. 89% obeyed 3 (SG), 57% obeyed 2 and 33% obeyed 1
• A minority is most successful when they are ...?


  Flexible, consistent and committed
• Describe the two ways in which in a minority can be consistent

  Synchronic consistency - when all the minority is saying the same thing

  Diachronic consistency - when the minority says the same thing over an extended period of time
• What is meant by commitment?

  Absolute dedication to and belief of your cause, of which you will go to any lengths necessary to prove it's worth to the majority. Involves self sacrifice and self disadvantaging regardless of any harm or danger. E.g. Suffragette movement, one was trampled by a horse. Just Stop Oil members gluing themselves to the roads
• Describe the augmentation principle 


  If the movement or cause is carried out, despite any dangers, harm or disadvantages, the cause will appear to be stronger than those obstacles and therefore appear more valid to the majority
• Describe what flexibility means


  The acceptance and consideration of others views and perspectives/positions, by finding compromises. Being rigid will not have nearly as much impact on the majority; by being flexible the majority see the minority as more reasonable and are more likely to consider their stance
• In what situation does deeper processing occurs


  With new ideas, especially ideas presented by a flexible, committed and consistent majority
• Describe the snowball effect

  Some of the majority switch over to the minority and adopt their views and perspectives. This causes more of the majority to shift over, and then more and then more, until the minority becomes the majority. (Think of rolling a snowball, and how once you get it started it increases in size VERY fast). Each time the rate of conversion increases
• Describe Moscovici et als 1969 study


  Aim - investigate effect of consistency from minority on the majority

  Procedure - groups of 6, each containing two confederates. Each viewed 36 blue coloured slides and asked if they were blue or green. Two confederates in each group responded green. Control group with inconsistent and mixed confederate responses.

  Findings - 0.25% said green in control group. 1.25% said green when = inconsistency. Consistent majority, 8.5% answered green