1. Original study – the silent condition
65% of participants continued to give shocks up to 450 volts

2. 3 situational factors which affect obedience
Can you identify them ? Proximity Uniform Location Agency Theory
Can you identify the theory of obedience which is also a situational explanation?
i.e. PUL them out of the hat?

3. Increased proximity
Teacher and learner in same room

4. Lower
40%

5. Physical force – even closer proximity
Teacher had to force learner’s hand onto the plate to receive electric shock

6. Lower
30%

7. Reduced proximity
Experimenter left the room and gave instructions to ‘teacher’ by telephone

8. Lower
20%

9. No Lab coat (Uniform)

10. Lower
20%

11. Change of Location
Experiment moved from prestigious Yale university to rundown office in nearby town

12. LOWER
48%

13. Other factors that influence obedience

14. Social Support
Teacher given support from two other ‘teachers’ (who were actually confederates) who refuse to obey

15. Lower
10%

16. Getting someone else to do it!
Teacher paired with confederate who threw the switches to give the shock

17. Higher
92.5%
May be the ppt did not feel as responsible if they were not the ones pushing the switch

18. Dispositional explanation
An alternative to situational explanations for obedience are the dispositional ones. Can you identify two dispositional explanations ?
Authoritarian Personality
Locus of Control