Situational Variables

• the situational variables

  external factors which influence levels of obedience
• three situational variables

  1. proximity
  2. location
  3. uniform
• three variations for proximity Milgram carried out

  1. teacher and learner in same room
  2. teacher forced learner's hand onto a shock plate
  3. experimenter gave orders over the phone
• variation for location Milgram carried out

  study was conducted in a run-down office as opposed to Yale University
• variation for uniform Milgram carried out

  role of experimenter was taken over by 'ordinary member of the public' in everyday clothes rather than a labcoat
• variations of proximity effect on obedience

  1. obedience rate dropped to 40%
  2. obedience dropped to 30%
  3. obedience dropped to 20.5%
• variations of location effect on obedience

  obedience dropped to 47.5%
• variations of uniform effect on obedience

  obedience dropped to 20%