Explanations for obedience

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

  It tested obedience to authority figures.
• What percentage of participants in Milgram's study were willing to administer the highest shock?

  65%
• What was the initial belief of psychologists regarding obedience to authority?

  Only a few percent would obey orders.
• How did Milgram's findings challenge previous beliefs about obedience?

  They showed high obedience in ordinary people.
• 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.
• What role did the Confederates play in Milgram's experiment?

  They acted as learners and scientists.
• What was the maximum voltage participants could administer in the experiment?

  450 volts
• What happened when participants reached 300 volts?

  The learner stopped responding.
• What is an agentic state according to Milgram?

  Carrying out orders without feeling guilt.
• What is the opposite of the agentic state?

  Autonomous state
• How does socialization affect obedience to authority?

  It teaches us whom to respect and obey.
• How do uniforms influence perceptions of authority?

  They act as visible symbols of authority.
• What effect did changing the location of the experiment have on obedience rates?

  Obedience dropped to 47.5%.
• What was the effect of increasing distance between the participant and authority figure?

  Obedience dropped to 21%.
• What does Milgram's research suggest about the legitimacy of authority?

  It affects obedience levels significantly.
• What are some criticisms of Milgram's research methodology?

  • Lacks mundane realism and ecological validity.
  • Task was unrealistic compared to everyday life.
  • Entirely male sample limits generalizability.
  • Participants may have guessed the study's aims.
• What is the authoritarian personality according to Adorno?

  It explains extreme obedience in certain individuals.
• How did Milgram's use of standardized procedures benefit his research?

  It allowed for high control and replicability.
• What was the obedience rate when the authority figure was in plain clothes?

  20%
• What are the strengths of Milgram's experiment findings?

  • Results are reliable across cultures and time.
  • High level of control due to standardized procedures.
  • Findings provide insight into human behavior under authority.
• What does Adorno suggest about obedience in relation to personality?

  Only those with authoritarian personalities show extreme obedience
• What methodology did Milgram use in his experiments?

  Standardized procedures for high control
• Why are Milgram's results considered reliable?

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

  Participants experienced emotional distress
• What is the cost-benefit perspective in Milgram's research?

  Harm was justified by research impact
• How does the study by Hofling support Milgram's findings?

  Nurses obeyed a dangerous order over the phone
• What did Bickman's study reveal about uniforms and obedience?

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

  Participants delivered real shocks to a puppy
• How did gender affect obedience in Sheridan and King's study?

  All female participants shocked the puppy maximally
• What is the authoritarian personality according to Adorno?

  A personality type that obeys authority excessively
• What childhood experiences contribute to developing an authoritarian personality?

  Harsh upbringing with physical punishments
• What does the F scale measure?

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

  Fixed stereotypes and strong authoritarian traits
• What is the significance of the factor "authoritarian submission" in the F scale?

  It reflects uncritical attitudes towards authority
• How does Adorno's theory explain variations in obedience?

  Obedience varies based on individual dispositions
• What correlation was found in Elms and Milgram's study?

  Obedient males scored higher on the F scale
• What is a limitation of research on authoritarian personality?

  It can only be studied through correlation
• What is a criticism of the F scale questionnaire?

  It may suffer from acquiescence bias
• How does Adorno's political bias affect the F scale?

  It may be biased against right-wing views
• Why is using the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience considered simplistic?

  It overlooks social structures and peer pressure