Milgram, situational variables affecting obedience

• Proximity


  • Distance between participant and learner
  • Closer proximity led to lower obedience rates
• Location


  • Prestigious vs non-prestigious location
  • Less prestigious location led to lower obedience rates
• Uniform


  • Experimenter in lab coat vs normal clothing
  • Normal clothing led to lower obedience rates
• Bickman study

  • Milkman uniform led to 14% obedience
  • Suit led to 19% obedience
  • Security guard uniform led to 38% obedience
• Uniform


  Increases or decreases legitimate authority and obedience
• Bickman's field experiment has more external validity than Milgram's lab experiment
• Variations with more obvious acting by the learner may have been seen through by participants, leading to lower obedience