Situational Variables

Proximity

The physical closeness or distance of an authority figure to the person they are giving an order to.

Also refers to the physical closeness of the Teacher to the Learner in Milgram’s studies

Location

The place where an order is given.

Status or prestige associated with the location influences obedience

Uniform

The clothing worn by an authority figure that symbolises their power, status and expertise

Their outfits indicate that they are entitled to expect our obedience

Situational variable

Features of the immediate physical and social environment which may influence a person’s behaviour.

Obedience rate when location changed to run-down office

47.5%

Obedience rate when Teacher and Learner were in the same room

40%

Obedience rate when Teacher forced the Learner’s hand onto the shock plate

30%

Obedience rate when Experimenter gave orders over the phone

20.5%

Obedience rate when the Experimenter was dressed as a member of the public

20%

Uniform S Bickman

Research support

Confederates 3 uniforms

1. Milkman

2. Security guard

3. Suit and tie

3 situations

1. Lending coin for parking metre

2. Picking up litter

3. Moving to other side of bus stop.

Twice as likely to obey security guard than the others.

Supports situational variables idea.

Uniform W Mandel

Argued that by saying a person only does destructive acts if someone wears a uniform, Milgram’s theory offers a social alibi for bad behaviour.

Implies that perpretrators of real-world crimes are victims of situational pressure. Removes personal responsibility for their actions.

Proximity S Meeus + Raajimakers

Cross-cultural replication

Dutch people asked to say stressful things to confederates.

90% obedience

Decreased obedience when the instructor wasn’t in the room.

Suggests that Milgram’s findings are not just limited to American men. Applies to women and other countries too.

W Smith + Bond

Lack of universal cross-cultural support

Identified 2 replications between 1968 and 1985 that took place in India and Jordan. Both countries are culturally different from the US but other countries that were involved (Spain, Scotland, Australia) are culturally similar to the US.

May not be appropriate to conclude that Milgram’s findings apply to people in all or most cultures as non-western cultures may have different cultural norms for authority.

Location S Milgram

High internal validity, controlled conditions

Obedience rates dropped from 65% to 47.5% when location changed to a run-down office.

Supports the variable as the other procedures were identical so it isolates location as the cause of the shift.

Yale gave the experimenter more legitimacy but the office made the participants question the credibility.

Location W Controlled conditions

Orne + Holland argue that in the office, the shock setup, the researcher and the money payment stayed the same.

This nature of the experiment may make participants believe it is fake so they conformed to the expectations.

Reduces internal validity