SIT Theory Support

• Milgram and Variations: He found presence of two dissenting peers lowered obedience; divisional effect, influential capacity diminishes if an individual has an ally, also Rundown office block shows influence of strength
• Sedikedided and Jackson (1990): New York Zoo visitors asked not to lean on railing by source with varied strength: Zookeeper 58% obeyed vs T-shirt and shorts 35%, obedience lowered the further the visitor (immediacy); 61% same room, 7% adjacent and greater obedience when fewer targets to sources: 1-2 60%, 5–6 14%
• Berkowitz, Bickman and Milgram (1969): Between 1 and 15 confederates stood on street outside University building looking at the 6th floor; milgram there recording number of passersby who also looked up (influenced by those around them); found increased number of confederates looking up led to more passersby imitating, this eventually levelled off and the number stopped having an effect
• Hofling et al. (1996): 22 nurses from 2 separate hospitals were alone in a ward and asked by an unknown doctor over the phone to give an overdose of a drug (Astroten 5mg - really a placebo) that was unauthorised in the specific ward, to a patient; 21/22 nurses started administering, brief calls, only 11 nurses knew dosage limits, no hostility , and all knew it was against hospital rules; strength of authority (doctor) generates obedience, even when possibly endangering a life