Obedience: social-psychological factors - evaluation

Strength: supported by research evidence
Blass and Schmidt (2001) showed a film of Milgram's study to students and asked them to identify who they felt was responsible for the harm to the learner. The students blamed the experimenter rather than the participant and also indicated that the responsibility was due to legitimate and expert authority. This is a strength because they recognised legitimate authority as the cause of obedience, supporting the explanation

Strength: supported by research evidence
Kilham and Mann (1974) replicated Milgram's procedure in Australia and found that only 16% of the participants went all the way to the top of the voltage scale, whereas Mantell (1971) found that 85% of German participants did so. This shows that in some cultures, authority is more likely to be accepted as legitimate. This reflects the ways different societies are structured and how people are taught to perceive authority…