obedience: situational variables

• did obedience drop or rise in proximity variation, why?

  milgrams

  Obedience dropped when learner was visible.
• MILGRAMS STUDY-

  - research on obedience to authority figures

  - leaners were strapped to a chair, wired with electrodes

  - teachers gave learners an increased shock every time they made a mistake

  - teachers weren't told the shocks were fake, or that Wallace was an actor

  LIMITATIONS-

  - lacked external validity, 70% believed shocks were genuine

  - ethical issues, participants were deceived as they thought roles were randomly assigned when they weren't.

  STRENGTHS-

  - replications have supported this study

  - social identity theory (sit), is an alternative explantation to milligrams.
• How many participants were there in milgrams study?

  How old were they?

  40 male volunteers aged 20-50 years.
• How much were they paid in mailgrams study for participating

  $4.50 paid for participation.
• Shock Generator


  Device used to administer increasing shocks.
• What shock level did it start at and increase to?

  Started at 15V, increased to 450V.
• Learner's Response


  Learner pretended to experience pain.
• Standard Prompts


  Four prompts to encourage continuation.
• Obedience Rate in milgrams?

  give a % and the voltage.

  65% of participants reached 450V.
• Qualitative Data


  Participants showed signs of extreme tension.
• what were psychology students predictions, did this lead to expected or unexpected findings? milgrams

  Psychology students predicted 3% would continue, unexpected findings
• what happened during debriefing, milgrams

  Participants reassured about normal behavior.
• Deception


  Participants misled about true nature of study.
• Situational Variables


  Factors influencing obedience related to context.
• did obedience drop or rise in proximity variation, why?

  milgrams

  Obedience dropped when learner was visible.
• did obedience increase or decrease in location variation?

  milgrams

  Obedience decreased in run-down settings.
• what influence did uniform have on participants?

  milgrams

  Authority, symbolized by experimenter's lab coat.
• Replication Studies


  Research replicated in various cultural contexts.
• Social Identity Theory


  Participants identified with experimenter as scientist.
• Ethical Concerns in milgrams

  Deception raised issues of participant trust.
• Limitations of Findings

  milgrams

  Results may excuse unethical behavior.
• Internal Validity

  milgrams


  Questioned due to potential participant awareness.
• Behavioral Responses

  milgrams


  Participants exhibited physical signs of distress, like biting lips, sweating, digging nails into skin.