Milgram & Adorno - Explanations for obedience

• What did Milgram's study aim to test regarding authority figures?

  It aimed to test obedience to authority figures.
• What percentage of participants in Milgram's study were willing to administer deadly shocks?

  65%
• What was the initial belief of psychologists regarding obedience in Milgram's study?

  Only a few percent of psychotic people would obey.
• What were the key features of Milgram's original obedience experiment?

  • Participants believed they were in a memory study.
  • They were assigned roles of teacher and learner.
  • Learners received fake electric shocks for wrong answers.
  • Authority figure was a scientist in a lab coat.
• How did Milgram ensure participants believed they were administering real shocks?

  By using a device with labeled voltage switches.
• What happened when the learner indicated they had a heart condition?

  The participant was prompted to continue administering shocks.
• What was the maximum voltage participants could administer in Milgram's experiment?

  450 volts
• What is the agentic state according to Milgram?

  • A state where individuals obey authority without guilt.
  • They feel the authority figure is responsible.
  • It contrasts with the autonomous state of personal responsibility.
• What is the opposite of the agentic state?

  The autonomous state.
• How does socialization affect obedience to authority?

  • Teaches respect for authority figures.
  • Establishes a social hierarchy.
  • Influences who to obey and who not to obey.
• What role do uniforms play in authority according to Milgram's findings?

  They act as visible symbols of authority.
• How did changing the location of the experiment affect obedience rates?

  Obedience dropped when moved to a rundown office.
• What was the obedience rate when the authority figure was on the phone?

  21%
• What are the situational variables affecting obedience identified by Milgram?

  • Proximity: distance between participant and authority.
  • Location: setting of the experiment.
  • Uniform: clothing of the authority figure.
• What methodological flaws have been criticized in Milgram's research?

  It lacked mundane realism and ecological validity.
• What is a counter-dispositional explanation for obedience suggested by Adorno?

  People with authoritarian personalities obey more.
• What are the strengths of Milgram's experimental methodology?

  • High level of control through standardized procedures.
  • Results are reliable across different contexts.
  • Clear instructions allowed for replication of the study.
• What percentage of participants continued to 300 volts in Milgram's study?

  100%
• Why did Milgram's findings shock the psychological community?

  Because of the high obedience rates among participants.
• What is the significance of Milgram's research on obedience?

  • Highlights the influence of authority figures.
  • Demonstrates the potential for ordinary people to commit harmful acts.
  • Raises ethical questions about psychological experiments.
• What does Adorno suggest about obedience in relation to personality?

  Not all people can display extreme obedience
• Who proposed the concept of the authoritarian personality?

  Adorno
• What is the significance of the Milgram experiment's methodology?

  It used standardized procedures for control
• What did Milgram's experiments demonstrate about obedience?

  Results were reliable across countries and time
• What ethical criticisms are associated with Milgram's study?

  Participants suffered emotional distress and deception
• What is a counterargument to the ethical criticisms of Milgram's study?

  Harm was justified by the research impact
• What are the methodological criticisms of Milgram's study?

  • Ethical concerns: emotional distress, deception
  • Difficulty for participants to withdraw
  • Lack of informed consent
• What did Hofling's study involve?

  Nurses receiving orders over the phone
• What was the outcome of Hofling's study regarding obedience?

  21 out of 22 nurses complied with orders
• How does the setting of Hofling's study affect its ecological validity?

  Hospital setting increases legitimacy of authority
• What did Bickman's field experiment involve?

  Experimenter in different uniforms giving orders
• What was the highest obedience rate found in Bickman's study?

  89% when dressed as a guard
• What does Bickman's study suggest about uniforms and authority?

  Uniforms increase perceived legitimacy of authority
• What was the purpose of Sheridan and King's study?

  To avoid demand characteristics in obedience research
• What did participants do in Sheridan and King's study?

  Delivered electric shocks to a puppy
• What was the obedience rate among female participants in Sheridan and King's study?

  100% of females shocked the puppy maximally
• How does Adorno's theory differ from Milgram's regarding obedience?

  Adorno focuses on personality traits for obedience
• What does the F scale measure?

  Authoritarian personality traits
• What does a high score on the F scale indicate?

  Fixed stereotypes and hostility towards weak
• What are two factors measured by the F scale?

  Authoritarian submission and power/toughness