obedience: situational variables

what are the situational variables impacting obedience

uniform

location

proximity

outline variational research on conformity and state researcher (findings and explanation)

MILGRAM

proximity:

findings - when learner and teacher were in the same room obedience dropped to 40%, when teacher had to place learners hand on shock plate obedience dropped down to 30%

explanation - being closer to the learner made it psychologically harder for the pps as they could visibly see the consequences of their actions

location:

findings - when the site of the research moved from Yale university to an office block in a run down area obedience dropped to 47.5%

explanation - the prestigious university environment gave milgrams study more legitimacy of authority

uniform:

findings - when the experimenter was replaced by another confederate just wearing normal clothing obedience dropped to 20%

explanation - uniforms are widely recognised as symbols of authority

strength, strength, weakness

:) supporting research BICKMAN - investigated effects of uniform: field study where confederates in different uniforms asked members of the public to pay into parking meter, pick rubbish of the ground, when dressed in milkman uniform obedience 14% in a suit 19% in a guard uniform 38%, supporting uniform situational variable with a powerful influence on obedience + field study reduces chances of demand characteristics

:) cross cultural supporting research - investigated effects of proximity with Dutch pps, when the person giving orders was not present obedience significantly decreased, increases generalisation of results to nonwestern people aswell as females also supporting proximity situational variable with powerful influence on obedience

:( high chances of demand characteristics - researchers criticised the study and pointed out that many aspects were artificial, even Milgram recognised the uniform variational study seemed quite deliberate and pre planned, questions validity whether results are due to obedience or pps displaying demand characteristics

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