A01

• Define situational variables

  External factors which influence levels of obedience
• State the three situational variables Milgram implemented in his obedience study variations

  1. Proximity

  2. Location

  3. Uniform
• Describe the variations Milgram carried out to investigate the effect of proximity

  1. Teacher and learner in the same room

  2 . Teacher holding learners hand on the shock plate

  3. Experimenter gave orders to the teacher over the phone
• Describe the effect that variations of proximity had on obedience

  1. Teacher and learner in the same room - obedience dropped to 40%

  2. Teacher holding learners hand on the shock plate - obedience dropped to 30%

  3. Experimenter gives orders over the phone - obedience dropped to 20.5 %
• Describe the variation Milgram carried out to investigate the effect of location

  The study was conducted in a run-down office as opposed to Yale University
• Describe the effect that location had on obedience

  When in a run-down office - obedience dropped to 47.5%
• Describe the variation Milgram carried out to investigate the effect of uniform

  The experimenter was replaced midway through the experiment with an ordinary member of public dressed in everyday clothes
• Describe the effect that uniform had on obedience

  When experimenter was replaced by someone in everyday clothes - obedience dropped to 20%
• Outline three conditions in which obedience would be maximised

  1. The person giving orders is wearing a uniform

  2. The person giving orders is within a close proximity

  3. The location where the orders are being given is prestigious
• Explain why Mandel (1998) believes that situational variables are offensive to Holocaust survivors

  He argues that situational variables offers an excuse or 'alibi' for engaging in evil behaviour - in his view it is offensive to survivors of the Holocaust to suggest the Nazis were simply obeying orders and were victims themselves of situational factors beyond their control