situational variables in obedience

• the main situational variables in obedience are:

  • location
  • proximity
  • uniform
• location:

  • milgram conducted a variation in a rundown building in bridgeport, connecticut

  → obedience dropped to 47.5%

  • E - prestigious university gives the study legitimacy and authority in the eyes of the participants
• proximity:

  • in the proximity variation the teacher and learning were in the same room

  → obedience dropped to 40%
• touch proximity variation:

  • in a more dramatic variation the teacher had to force the learners hand onto an electroshock plate when he refused to answer a question 

  → obedience dropped to 30% 
• remote instruction:

  • the experimental left the room and gave the teachers steps by telephone and the outcome was that there was further reduction

  → obedience dropped to 20.5%
• uniform:

  • in this variation the experimental was replaced by another participant in normal everyday clothes pretending to be an ordinary member of the public who was in fact another confederate

  → obedience dropped to 20%

  
  

  E - uniform encourages obedience because they are widely recognised symbols to authority