Variables affecting obedience

• Proximity - the distance between the individual and authority figure

  • The closer the authority figure the greater the likelihood of conformity due to fear of consequences if person disobeys

  Milgram investigated this by asking experimenter to give instructions over the phone rather than in the same room as ppt

  • Reduced obedience to 20.5% compared to the original 65% when figure of authority was in the same room
• Uniform - the clothing worn by authority figure

  1. Official uniform can enhance legitimacy of authority which leads to more obedience
  2. If uniform is appropriate for current setting it also increases obedience

  Bickman investigated this using a field experiment where a figure of authority asked passerby's to pick up rubbish or pay a parking meter

  in condition 1 - dressed as a security guard uniform obedience was 92%

  in condition 2 - dressed in no uniform obedience was 58%
• Location - the setting of a situation

  1. Enhance the legitimacy of an authority figure leading to more obedience
  2. Appropriate for the figure of authority to give orders in or not appropriate (teacher in a shopping mall)

  Milgram investigated this by conducting experiment in a run down office block which reduced obedience to 48%
• Supporting evidence for uniform

  • Bushman (1988) conducted a similar filed study to Bickman using a female confederate, who told strangers to give change for a parking meter
  • The highest levels of obedience was found when she was wearing police uniform compared to business clothing and casual clothing
  • Supports the role of uniform as people are more likely to obey when clothing is associated with being authority figure that is appropriate for setting
  • validating uniform as a factor affecting obedience
• High control of situational variables

  • Milgram systematically altered one variable at a time e.g location, and he kept the rest of the variables the same
  • TSB as it allows direct comparison on specific variables like a rundown office block vs prestigious university
  • Strengthens C+E rs as impact on obedience is due to change in location and nothing else
  • Increases validity of Milgram research
• Ethical issues with uniform research

  • Deception as ppt were misled to believe that the confederate wearing uniform was a legitimate figure of authority
  • Ppt unaware they are apart of an experiment and thought they were acting in a genuine experiment thus cannot provide fully informed consent
  • Decreases credibility
• Refuting real life evidence for proximity

  • Hofling instructed nurses over the phone to give a dangerously large dose of a unknown harmful drug to patients
  • 95% of nurses (21/22) administered the drug despite not being close in proximity of the authority figure which shows the role of proximity in obedience can be undermined by legitimacy of authority figure
  • As nurses obeyed doctors in real this shows Milgram may have overestimated the role of proximity in affecting obedience
  • Decreasing validity of proximity as a factor affecting obedience