Social Psychology Lecture: Obedience

Key Concepts

• Obedience: Following instructions from an authority figure. Not the same as conformity, where decisions are made individually.
• Conformity: Choosing to do what others are doing for personal reasons.

Stanley Milgram's Studies on Obedience

• Purpose: Originally inspired by the Nuremberg trials post-World War II, where German soldiers claimed they were "just following orders."
• Initial Hypothesis: Assumed Germans were more susceptible to following orders than Americans.
• Findings: Surprisingly, American participants showed high levels of obedience, contrary to expectations.

The Milgram Experiment

• Setup: Participants were assigned as "teachers," and confederates were "learners."
  • Authority Figure: Experimenter gave instructions, often dressed in a lab coat.
• Procedure:
  • Learners had to memorize word pairs.
  • Incorrect answers resulted in electric shocks to learners.
  • Shocks increased in intensity from mild to potentially lethal (15 volts to 450 volts).
• Purpose: To see if participants would obey authority to the point of inflicting harm.

Findings

• High Obedience Rates: Most participants administered shocks despite learners' screams.
• Experiment Variations:
  • Location, appearance of the experimenter, and presence of dissenting figures affected obedience.
  • Higher obedience at prestigious locations like Yale.
  • Lower obedience when the experimenter was not in the room or when wearing casual clothing.
• Psychological Impact: Many participants experienced stress but continued due to authority pressure.

Ethical Considerations

• Deception: Participants were misled about the true nature of the study.
• Participant Distress: High levels of stress experienced during the experiment.
• Debriefing: Participants were informed post-experiment, but not always fully.

Factors Influencing Obedience

• Responsibility: When participants were told they weren't responsible, obedience increased.
• Social Influence: Peer support led to lower obedience.
• Proximity: Being closer to the victim reduced obedience.

Compliance Techniques

• Norm of Reciprocity: Doing favors to elicit compliance.
• Foot-in-the-Door: Small request followed by a larger one.
• Door-in-the-Face: Large request followed by a smaller one.
• Lowballing: Offering a low price to secure commitment, then increasing it.

Applications

• Social Conditioning: Politeness and social norms can influence obedience.
• Entrapment: Gradual commitments lead to increased compliance.
• Real-World Implications: Historical and modern scenarios, from war crimes to corporate practices, illustrate these concepts.

Conclusion

• Experiment Legacy: Milgram's study illustrates the power of authority and situational factors in influencing human behavior.
• Contemporary Relevance: These principles are observed in various settings today, emphasizing the importance of awareness and critical thinking.