Situational Variables

• :) RTS Bickman

  > confederates dressed in three different outfits - a security guard, milkman and a business man - and ask members of the public to give money to pay for parking or pick up litter

  > they were twice as likely to follow the instructions of the security guard than the business man

  > supports the power of uniform, as well as demonstrating the variables in a real-life setting
• :( gender bias

  > male only sample (androcentric)

  > difficult to generalise the findings to females - some research suggests they may be more obedient regardless of situational variables

  > Sheridan and King - when ordered to give electric shocks to a puppy, females obeyed 100% of the time, compared to 54% of males

  > weakens external validity
• :( alternative explanation

  > dispositional factors e.g. authoritarian personality

  > argues that obedience is due to internal characteristics, like their personality, rather than situational variables

  > weakens the research into situational variables
• :( criticised by Mandel

  > Milgram suggests that obedience decreases when proximity decreases, but the Holocaust was conducted in close proximity

  > Mandel also argues that uniform offers an excuse for evil behaviour

  > suggests that Nazi's were simply obeying orders and were victims of situational variables beyond their control