Understanding Milgram's Obedience Variations

What was the main conclusion of Milgram's baseline experiment regarding obedience during World War II?

• Germans are inherently more obedient than others.

• High obedience is not unique to Germans, as Americans also showed high obedience.

• Obedience is solely determined by individual personality traits.

• Obedience is not influenced by situational factors.

Which situational variable did Milgram test by moving his experiment from Yale University to a rundown office block?

• Proximity

• Uniform

• Location

• Authority

In the proximity variation where the teacher and learner were in the same room, what was the obedience level?

• 65%

• 47.5%

• 40%

• 30%

What was the obedience level when the experimenter gave instructions via telephone in the remote instruction variation?

• 65%

• 47.5%

• 30%

• 20.5%

In the uniform variation, what happened to the obedience level when the experimenter was replaced by a confederate in everyday clothes?

• It increased to 80%

• It remained at 65%

• It dropped to 20%

• It dropped to 30%

Which study supported Milgram's claim that uniforms enhance authority?

• Bickman (1974)

• Asch (1951)

• Zimbardo (1971)

• Bandura (1961)

What is a limitation of Milgram's study regarding cultural bias?

• It was only conducted in non-Western cultures.

• It was mostly replicated in Western individualist cultures.

• It included a diverse range of cultures.

• It focused solely on collectivist cultures.

What does the term "situational variables" refer to in Milgram's studies?

• Features of the physical and social environment that impact behaviour.

• Inherent personality traits that determine obedience.

• Genetic predispositions to follow authority.

• Random factors that have no impact on behaviour.

Which situational variable had the largest impact on reducing obedience in Milgram's variations?

• Location

• Proximity

• Uniform

• Authority

What criticism did Mandel (1998) have regarding Milgram's focus on situational factors?

• It overemphasises the role of personality traits.

• It provides an excuse for destructive behaviour by overlooking dispositional influences.

• It accurately explains all aspects of obedience.

• It is too focused on cultural differences.