Situational variables affecting obedience - A03 ONLY
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Course
Social Influence
Institution
AQA
This is a document which shows evaluation (A03) worth 10 marks for a potential essay on situational variables which may affecting obedience in Milgram's research
Describe and evaluate situational variables that have been shown by Milgram to affect obedience
to authority (16 Marks)
A03:
One strength of the situational variable uniform is there is research evidence to suggest ideas about
obedience to authority. In Bickman’s study it shows that by different people in different outfits
(security guard, milk, jacket and tie) asking people to do different tasks it shows different reactions.
Therefore, this suggests that passers-by are likely to be more obedient to someone with authority
uniform, this links to Milgram’s results.
One issue in the situational variables in that the studies may lack internal validity. This was an issue
in the original study but may be even more of an issue here due to the extra manipulation of
variables. For example, where the experimenter is replaced by a member of the public the uniform
change may be making the study seem less professional. Participants would be likely to guess the
aim of the study due to the obvious manipulation via the uniform. This would lead to demand
characteristics as participants may want too purposely change their behaviour to mess with the
results. Due to the confounding variables, the internal validity, this means that the results for
obedience to authority may not be all true.
A strength is that he systematically altered one variable at a time, keeping other variables controlled
to see the effect on obedience. It was replicated many times with similar findings, these are
strengths of the research as the controls mean that we can be surer of cause and effect and so the
situational variables would be causing the change in obedience to authority. It has also been
replicated with similar findings meaning that it is consistent, therefore that means that these
findings into links between situational variables and obedience to authority have scientific
credibility.
Milgram’s findings suggest that these situational factors can influence obedience. However, this has
been criticised by David Mandel as he suggests that this just offers an excuse or alibi for evil
behaviour. For example, it is offensive to survivors of the holocaust to suggest that the Nazi’s were
obeying orders and that the victims were victims of situational factors beyond their control. This is a
problem as looking at situation variables would ignore the potential impact of the perpetrator's
personalities or belief, which have had an impact on the levels of obedience to authority which were
seen.
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