6. Milgram and Obedience

What is obedience?

Obedience occurs when we follow the commands of someone with authority, the rules or laws of society.

What is constructive obedience?

Constructive obedience occurs when there is compliance with orders of authority that result in a positive outcome.

Give an example of constructive obedience.

An example of constructive obedience is following orders of emergency personnel, or citizens adhering to laws that make neighborhoods safer.

What is destructive obedience?

Destructive obedience occurs when there is compliance with orders of authority that result in a negative outcome.

Give an example of destructive obedience.

An example of destructive obedience is nurses following doctors' orders even when they know the doctor is mistaken.

How does compliance differ from obedience?

Compliance: changing one’s behavior in response to a request but not necessarily from an authority figure

Obedience: is changing one’s behavior in response to a request from an authority figure.

What was the aim of Stanley Milgram's obedience studies in 1963?

The aim was to discover whether individuals would obey an authority figure instructing them to inflict pain on another person.

What significant finding was revealed in Milgram’s obedience studies?

None of the 40 participants stopped administering shocks before 300 volts, even when the learner's life was potentially at risk.

What ethical considerations were present in Milgram's studies?

Participants' mental well-being was not safeguarded (non-maleficence)

they were not clear they could withdraw, and many showed signs of distress.

What are the key factors affecting obedience?

SL(U)G

• social proximity

• legitimacy of authorial figure

• group presense

What factor affects obedience related to social distance?

Social proximity: Milgram found that the closer the learner was to the teacher, the more likely they were to refuse to administer the shock.

What is the legitimacy of the authority figure in relation to obedience?

Individuals are more likely to be obedient when the authority figure is perceived as legitimate and having power.

How does group pressure affect obedience?

An individual is more likely to be obedient when there is little or no group support resisting the authority figure.

What is a cult?

A cult is a group that claims to have great devotion to a person, idea, or object. (PIO)

What is a sect?

A sect is a group following a particular set of principles, beliefs, and practices (PBP) with a separate identity within a larger group.

What is a confederate in an experiment?

A confederate is someone working for the experimenter and posing as a participant.