🧡1.5 obedience: situational variables

Define situational variables

Features of the physical and social environment that may influence behaviour

What situational variables did milgram investigate (PUL)

• proximity

• Uniform

• Location

How was proximity investigated (Standard)

• teacher and learner were in the same room

• Obedience dropped from 65% to 40%

How was proximity investigated (touch proximity)

• the teacher had to place the learners hand onto the electoshock plate

• Obedience dropped from 65% to 30%

How was proximity investigated (remote instruction)

• the experimenter left the room and gave instructions by the phone

• Obedience dropped from 65% to 20.5% and they frequently pretended to give shocks

Why did a decrease in proximity lead to a decrease in obedience

Decreased proximity allows for people to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions

How was uniform investigated

• experimenter was called away and had his role taken over by an ‘ordinary member of the public’ (a confederate) who was wearing everyday clothes

• Obedience dropped from 65% to 20%

Why does a decrease in uniform lead to a decrease in obedience

• uniforms are widely recognised symbols of authority

• So we accept this authority as legitimate and obey

How was location investigated

• conducted the study in a run down office rather than Yale

• Obedience dropped from 65% to 47.5%

Why did a change in location lead to a decrease in obedience

• the prestigious university gave the study legitimacy, so it was assumed the experimenter shared this

• But they still obeyed because they perceived the scientific nature of the procedure

Evaluation - research support

• Bickman had 3 confederates dress in different outfits. A jacket and tie, a milkman and security guard

• They asked the public to perform certain task

• People were 2x more likely to obey the security guard

Evaluation - cross cultural replications

• Meeus ordered Dutch participants to say stressful things in an interview to a confederate

• 90% obeyed

• When the person giving the orders wasn’t present, obedience decreased further

However - bond and smith would say both cultures are collectivist so it lacks cross cultural validity

Evaluation - the danger of situational

• Mandel argues that this offers an excuse for evil behaviour

• Suggesting nazis were victims as they were ‘just obeying orders’