1.5 obedience: situational variables 🧡

What are situational variables?

Features of the immediate physical and social environment that may influence a person's behavior.

What was the obedience rate drop when the teacher and learner were in the same room during Milgram's proximity variation?

The obedience rate dropped from 65% to 40%.

What effect did the touch proximity variation have on obedience?

Obedience dropped to 30% when the teacher had to force the learner's hand onto an electroshock plate.

How did the remote instruction variation affect obedience rates?

Obedience dropped to 20.5%, and participants frequently pretended to give shocks.

Why does decreased proximity affect obedience according to Milgram?

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

How did a change in uniform from lab coat to everyday clothes impact obedience in Milgram's study?

Obedience dropped to 20% when the experimenter was replaced by an ordinary member of the public.

What is the significance of uniforms in relation to obedience?

Uniforms are widely recognized symbols of authority that encourage obedience.

What was the effect of changing the location of Milgram's study from Yale to a run-down office block?

Obedience dropped to 47.5%.

How did the prestigious setting of Yale university affect Milgram's study?

It gave the study legitimacy and authority, which contributed to participant obedience.

What was Bickman's finding regarding obedience based on the attire of confederates?

People were twice as likely to obey the security guard than those in a suit and tie.

What percentage of Dutch participants obeyed when ordered to say stressful things in an interview?

90% of participants obeyed.

What was the argument of Bond and Smith regarding cross-cultural validity in obedience studies?

They argued that it lacks cross-cultural validity as most replications were done in culturally similar countries to the US.

What concern does Mandel raise about the situational perspective in explaining behavior?

He argues that it offers an excuse for evil behavior, implying that people are victims of situational pressures.

How does the situational perspective relate to the actions of Nazis according to Mandel?

It suggests that Nazis were 'simply obeying orders', minimizing personal responsibility.