Obedience
- Created by: Sophie Russell
- Created on: 03-11-14 15:49
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- Obedience
- Milgram
- Aim: investigate whether Americans would obey and unjust order from an authority figure to inflict pain on a learner. Test the influence of situational factors
- Method/procedure: Genuine participant always 'teacher.' Confederate always learner, memorising word pairs.
- Teacher give an electric shock every time learner gave incorrect answer.
- Began at 15V, increased by 15V until reaching 450V. Teacher encouraged using standardised prompts.
- No clear manipulation of the IV, so it is a controlled observation.
- Began at 15V, increased by 15V until reaching 450V. Teacher encouraged using standardised prompts.
- Teacher give an electric shock every time learner gave incorrect answer.
- Sample: 40 male volunteers from 20-50 years old. Paid $4.50
- Results and findings:All participants went to at least 300V. 65% went to 450V max. Many participants were distressed but followed prompts.
- Conclusion: Due to situational factors, people obey unjust orders. When holding a subordinate position of power, empathy can be lost. Atrocities can be explained by situational factors rather than dispositional factors.
- Variations of Milgram
- venue of rundown offices- obedience fell to 47.5%
- Confederate threw switches for the teacher- obedience levels highest at 92.5%
- Experimenter instructed by telephone in separate room- obedience fell to 20.5%
- Two other teachers did not obey- obedience fell to 10%
- Teacher and learner in same room- obedience fell to 40%
- Teacher was made to force the learner's hand on plate- obedience fell to 30%
- Learner agreed to participate if they could withdraw- obedience fell to 40%
- Explanations of obedience and evaluation
- Legitimate authority figure- Milgram variation to run down offices.
- Gradual commitment- increasing the voltage slowly
- Contractual obligation- paid
- Buffers- not having to see victim suffering
- Personality factors- authoritarian personality is submissive to those in power.
- Agentic shift, moving from autonomy to the agentic level where responsibility is abdicated
- supporting small studies
- Hofling et al. Obedient nurses giving twice the max dose of an unknown drug. 21/22 obedience rate. Rank and Jacobson- Valium used, 2/18 obeyed.
- Bickman- uniforms, milkman, guard and civilian. ecological validty but sample bias.
- Milgram
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