Social Influence - Obedience Key Studies

Further studies of obedience

Sheridan and King - Students trained a puppy to learn a discrimination task, with increasingly severe electric shocks. After a while an odourless anaesthetic was released causing the puppy to fall asleep, then the participants were reminded failure to respond was punishable. 75% of participants dlevired maximum shock.

Hofling et al (1966) - 22 nurses working in various hospitals recieved a call from a confedirate pretending to be a doctor instructing them to give a patient an overdose of a made up drug (maximum dose was clearly labelled on bottle). 21 out of 22 nurses complied without hesitation. 

Rank and Jacobson (1977) - Replication of Hofling's experiment but the instruction was to instruct a dosage of a real drug, a real doctor phoned and they were able to consult with other nurses before proceeding. 2 out of 18 nurses complied.

Bickman (1974) - 3 male researchers gave orders to 153 random pedestrians. The researcher were dressed in either a milkman's uniform, a suit and tie, or a guard uniform. Bickman found participants obeyed 40% more when in a uniform than a milkman's uniform