Bocchiaro et al. (2012)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To study those who disobey and whilstleblow and understand the factors involved in the reasoning, going beyond Milgram’s original paradigm for studying obedience.

Question 2

Hypothesis

Answer 2

In the presence of an authority figure, most participants would be obedient, and very few would whistleblow.

Around 65% of students from VU University in Amsterdam who were asked to imagine partaking in the research said that they would whistleblow.

Question 3

Sample

Answer 3

149 undergraduate students from VU University in Amsterdam with a mean age of 20.8 years.

There were originally 160 participants but 11 were removed for being suspicious about the nature of the study.

Self-selected recruited from flyers in the campus cafeteria.

Received either €7 or course credit for taking part.

Question 4

Procedure

Answer 4

1. Ps were greeted by the ‘experimenter’, who explained that they were investigating the effects of sensory deprivation on brain function, and said that they had recently tried this with 6 p’s, with traumatic results, e.g. hallucinations and temporarily impaired cognitive abilities. They were not allowed to stop and post-experiment said it was a traumatic experience.
2. They were told that the University Research Committee wanted their opinion on whether to approve the study, and that giving approval and the email of an acquaintance to take part could mean they are contacted for future promotions and could mean money for them.
3. They were told that the University Research Committee wanted their opinion on whether to approve the study, and that giving approval and the email of an acquaintance to take part could mean they are contacted for future promotions and could mean money for them.
4. The participant completed two personality inventories (the HEXACO-PI-R test, and a measure of Social Value Orientation (SVO)) were administered and the participant was probed for suspiciousness about the nature of the study before being fully debriefed.

Question 5

Findings

Answer 5

1. Behaving in a moral manner is challenging for people e.g 76.5% were obedient and only 9.4% were whistleblowers.
2. No significant differences were found from the personality tests and the only significant difference between participant groups related to faith.