Factors that affect obedience
Situational:
➔ Momentum of compliance: Relates to gradual commitment.
Starting with small, trivial requests- participant has committed to the experiment
As requests increase participants feel duty bound
15V increments- small tasks
Situation created a binding relationship when escalated steadily
➔ Proximity:
Telephonic instructions- Distance acts as a buffer to obedience
Shock generator is also a buffer to distance as it is easier to bomb someone than
stab them
Pilot study - ‘learner’ could not be seen or heard = 100% obedience rate.
Closer the victim and further away the authority figure, the lower the obedience
level
➔ Status of authority:
Obedience can only be established when authority figure is perceived to be
legitimate (rundown office block, ordinary man gives orders).
➔ Personal responsibility: Agency theory. P’s likely to be more obedient when
personal responsibility is removed from them.
Personality:
➔ Locus of control: Rotter’s (1966) Internal or external LoC.
Internal- believe they are responsible for their own actions, less influenced by
others.
External- believe behaviour is largely beyond their control, but due to external
factors such as fate, they are more influenced.
Situational:
➔ Momentum of compliance: Relates to gradual commitment.
Starting with small, trivial requests- participant has committed to the experiment
As requests increase participants feel duty bound
15V increments- small tasks
Situation created a binding relationship when escalated steadily
➔ Proximity:
Telephonic instructions- Distance acts as a buffer to obedience
Shock generator is also a buffer to distance as it is easier to bomb someone than
stab them
Pilot study - ‘learner’ could not be seen or heard = 100% obedience rate.
Closer the victim and further away the authority figure, the lower the obedience
level
➔ Status of authority:
Obedience can only be established when authority figure is perceived to be
legitimate (rundown office block, ordinary man gives orders).
➔ Personal responsibility: Agency theory. P’s likely to be more obedient when
personal responsibility is removed from them.
Personality:
➔ Locus of control: Rotter’s (1966) Internal or external LoC.
Internal- believe they are responsible for their own actions, less influenced by
others.
External- believe behaviour is largely beyond their control, but due to external
factors such as fate, they are more influenced.
