What are the three situational variables affecting Obedience?
Proximity, Location and Uniform
How does proximity affect Obedience?
In a variation of Milgram's experiment, Milgram increased the distance between the participant and the authority figure by having the authority provide instructions via telephone instead of by being in the same room. Obedience rates dropped from 65% to 21%. He argued that due to the increased distance participants were less likely to remain in an "agentic state" and more likely to return to an "autonomous state". So as the authority figure gets further away, obedience decreases
How does location affect Obedience?
Milgram's original experiment took place at Yale University. However, when replicated at a run-down office block, the obedience rate dropped to 47.5%. Milgram thought that the status of a location leads to a more legitimacy of authority through making the authority figure seem more genuine. So, low-status locations reduces legitimacy of authority, leading to lower levels of obedience
How does uniform affect Obedience?
In Milgram's original experiment, the experimenter wore a grey lab coat. In one variation, the researcher in the lab coat received a phone call, made an excuse to leave, and was replaced with another confederate dressed in regular clothes. This lead to reduced legitimacy of authority and obedience dropped to 20%
