Situational variables affecting obedience

• Situational variables affecting obedience - Proximity

  In Milgrams original experiment, the teacher could not see the learner, obedience was 65 %. When the teacher and learner were in the same room obedience fell to 40 %.

  When the teacher was required to force the learners hand onto the electric plate, obedience fell to 30 %.
• Situational variables affecting obedience - Location

  When location was changed to a run down office in a run down part of town it dropped 48 % compared to 65 % at Yale university.

  The amount of legitimate authority was reduced.
• Situational variables affecting obedience - power of uniform

  Researcher wore grey lab coat to give him the air of authority.

  In one variation of Milgram’s study, at the beginning of the study the experimenter in the lab coat was called away from the experiment to answer a phone call. The role of the experimenter was taken over by an ‘ordinary member of the public’ who wore everyday clothes. In this variation obedience dropped to 20%. Uniform acts as a strong visual authority symbol.
• Situational variables affecting obedience AO3

  :) RTS Bickman - security, milkman, business man

  :( Gender bias

  :( Dispositional factors