SOCIAL
INFLUENCE
Obedience
Social Psychology
Miss Bird
Mandel (1998)
Mandel argued that Milgram’s research
lacked ecological validity because the
situational factors outlined by Milgram do
not apply to real-life situations.
To support this criticism Mandel applied
these situational factors to the second
world war.
Mandel (1998)
1. Proximity of the victim – Commander received
orders to carry out mass killing of Jews. Despite close
proximity of victims only small minority of men took up
offer to be assigned to other duties. (In Milgram’s
study, if teacher and learner in the same room
obedience levels dropped due to close proximity).
2. Proximity of authority figure – Killers were alone with
their victims and not in the physical presence of their
superiors. This should produce empathy but didn’t stop
them from killing the victims. (In Milgram’s study if
experimenter not physically present, obedience levels
dropped).
Mandel (1998)
3. Presence of allies – Although the men were aware that
several of their peers had removed themselves from the
killing, the vast majority continued to kill. (In Milgram’s
study, participants used defiance of allies as opportunity
to remove themselves from harming the learner).
4. Increasing the ‘teachers’ discretion – The men made
sure that all Jews were dead and displayed severe
brutality on those that they ‘caught.’ These actions do not
indicate that those involved tried to lessen their victims’
suffering, even when they had chance to do so. (In
Milgram’s study, participants tried to lessen learner’s pain
by giving lowest shock).
Real-world applications
Abu Ghraib
A real-life example of how the power of a
situation and the influence of an authority
figure can shape a person’s behaviour
(remove personal responsibility and morals
e.g. conscience and compassion).
The Abu Ghraib prison abuse showed many
similarities with Milgram’s obedience
research.
Abu Ghraib
We are going to be watching a video on
the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in the Abu
Ghraib prison.
Please feel free to leave the classroom at
any time should you find the video
distressing to watch.
Real-world applications
Abu Ghraib
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ_Vxoyu8z
Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksnDuQImC
yo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnsC1Lt9H9
E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4EfL3_etuI
Real-world applications
Abu Ghraib
Many of the torturers at the Abu Ghraib prison
claimed that they were obeying orders from a
higher authority (commander in charge) and some
said that they did not think they were doing anything
wrong.
This real-life application of obedience shows how
moral judgements (what is right/wrong, your moral
conscience, compassion for others) and the removal
of personal responsibility (just ‘following orders’)
resulted in the horrific torture, and death, of many
Iraqi prisoners.
Milgram’s key conditions for
suspending human morality
(Abu Ghraib)
1. An acceptable justification for the behaviour (i.e.
the importance of national security and revenge).
What was the justification for the immoral behaviour
shown in Milgram’s study? Why did the experimenter
say that the participant needed to continue?
Importance of science.
Milgram’s key conditions for
suspending human morality
(Abu Ghraib)
2. An important role for participants (i.e. American
guards enjoyed an unusual degree of power over
their prisoners).
What was the role for participants in Milgram’s
study? What did this imply?
‘Teacher’ – they were in control of the ‘learner.’
Milgram’s key conditions for
suspending human morality
(Abu Ghraib)
3. The use of words (i.e. ‘prisoners’ and dehumanising
acts made it easier to aggress against them. ‘Ethnic
cleansing’ and ‘collateral damage’ – hide true
meaning of the action).
What words did Milgram use in his study to describe the
participants?
‘Teacher’ and ‘learner’ – not negative and hides true
meaning! Could have used ‘perpetrator’ and ‘victim.’
Milgram’s key conditions for
suspending human morality
(Abu Ghraib)
4. A gradual escalation of violence (i.e. at the
Abu Ghraib prison the degree of abuse
increased over time).
How did violence escalate in Milgram’s study?
Electric shock voltage increased by 15 volts
each time until maximum of 450 volts (death).