Why People Obey

Question 1

What are the two explanations for why people obey?

Answer 1

Internal and external explanation

Question 2

What is the external explanation?

Answer 2

Situational variables form the explanation where features of an environment are seen as affecting obedience

Question 3

How does proximity affect obedience?

Answer 3

When the physical distance between the teacher and learner was made closer, participants were less able to divorce themselves from the consequences of their actions and so obedience rates were lower

Question 4

What is the research to support proximity?

Answer 4

In Milgram’s variation, when the teacher had to put the learners hand on the shock plate obedience fell to 30%. When they are in the same room obedience fell to 40%

Question 5

How does location affect obedience?

Answer 5

There are higher obedience rates in institutionalised settings where obedience to authority figures is instilled to members

Question 6

What is the research to support location?

Answer 6

In Milgrams variation when the study was carried out in a rundown part of town instead of Yale University obedience fell to 48%

Question 7

How does uniforms affect obedience?

Answer 7

Wearing a uniform can give the perception of added legitimacy to authority figures when delivering orders and therefore obedience rates increase

Question 8

What is the research to support uniforms?

Answer 8

Bickman. He found ordering people on a New York street to pick up rubbish, loan a coin or move away from a bus stop obedience rates changed. 19% obeyed when they were dressed as a civilian, 14% when they were dressed as a milkman and 38% when they were dressed as a security guard

Question 9

What is the internal explanation?

Answer 9

Certain personality characteristics are associated with higher levels of obedience

Question 10

Who created the authoritarian personality?

Answer 10

Fromm

Question 11

What is the authoritarian personality?

Answer 11

It explains those holding a right wing, conservative views and is a personality type characterised by a belief in absolute obedience and submission to authority and domination of minorities

Question 12

How is the authoritarian personality measured?

Answer 12

F scale questionnaire

Question 13

What are two strengths of the internal explanation?

Answer 13

Elms and milgram reported people who were highly obedient were significantly more authoritarian on the f scale than disobedient figures supporting this link. Also altemeyer reported participants who had the authoritarian personality were more likely to give higher electric shocks

Question 14

What are two limitations of the internal explanation?

Answer 14

Zilmer et al reported 16 nazi war criminals recorded highly on 3 dimensions but not all 9. Also it cannot account for obedience in all societies and social groups

Question 15

What are the two social psychological explanations of why people obey?

Answer 15

Milgrams agency theory and legitimate authority

Question 16

What does Milgrams agency theory suggest?

Answer 16

If an authority figure takes responsibility for an order it is likely that an individual will obey. They are an agent of someone else

Question 17

What are the two different states in Milgrams agency theory?

Answer 17

The autonomous state and the agentic state

Question 18

What is the autonomous state?

Answer 18

They see their actions as voluntary and self direct in which they are ruled by their own conscience and accept consequences

Question 19

What is the agentic state?

Answer 19

People see themselves as being agents of others and in which individuals conscience does not operate. They don’t feel responsible for their own actions

Question 20

What is it called when someone moves between the two states?

Answer 20

The agentic shift

Question 21

How was this theory seen in Milgrams study?

Answer 21

The autonomous state was when the teacher was choosing to give the shocks. When the teacher started to refuse and one of the verbal prods were given this then became the agentic state

Question 22

What are the factors that allow them to minimise the damaging effects of their behaviour?

Answer 22

Binding factors

Question 23

What does legitimate authority suggest?

Answer 23

Most societies have a hierarchical structure and we are socialised to obey those higher up the hierarchy. We obey those with legitimate authors because we see them as trustworthy and we believe they have power to punish us

Question 24

Where is legitimate authority seen in Milgrams study?

Answer 24

The authors figure wore a lab coat which symbolised his authority. Obedience fell when the experimenter was not wearing a lab coat as he lost his status and authority

Question 25

What are the two real life incident that support why people obey?

Answer 25

The US soldiers abuse of the prisoners in Abu Ghraib started off as minor and then increased to serious levels of abuse. In Liftons study the Nazi doctors started sterilising equipment but then started experimenting on people who died

Question 26

What are two limitations of why people obey?

Answer 26

Real life incidents are likely to involve a range of factors not just obedience and you can use the methods and ethical issues of Milgrams study