Political Psychology:Citizen Behaviors and Opinions

Lecture 2

Obedience to authority

Program

Variants of the Milgram experiment

Explanation of obedience

Milgram, 50 years later

Variants of the Milgram experiment

Lecture 2

Obedience to authority

Experiment #2

Experiment #2

Prediction of psychiatrists:

mean maximum shock = 120 volts

0,125% will go up to 450 volts

Experiment #2

Results :

mean maximum shock = 375 volts

25/40 (63%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #11

Choice of shock level

mean maximum shock = 75 volts

1/40 (3%) administer 450 volts

Experiment #11

Experiment #8

Women

mean maximum shock = 375 volts

26/40 (65%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #5

Yale basement, less luxurious

mean maximum shock = 375 volts

26/40 (65%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #10

Private run-down building

mean maximum shock = 315 volts

19/40 (48%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #3

Victim in the same room

mean maximum shock = 315 volts

16/40 (40%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #4

Contact with the victim

mean maximum shock = 270 volts

12/40 (30%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #7

Distance of experimenter

mean maximum shock = 270 volts

9/40 (21%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #12

Learner demands shocks

mean maximum shock = 150 volts

0/40 (0%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #13

Experiment #13

Ordinary experimenter

mean maximum shock = 240 volts

4/40 (20%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #14

Experiment #14

Ordinary experimenter, scientist victim

mean maximum shock = 150 volts

0/40 (0%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #15

Experiment #15

Conflict between 2 experimenters

mean maximum shock = 150 volts

0/40 (0%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #16

Experiment #16

Two scientists: one is the victim, one is the experimenter

mean maximum shock = 360 volts

13/20 (65%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #17

Experiment #17

Division of tasks: revolt

mean maximum shock = 240 volts

4/40 (10%) go up to 450 volts

Experiment #18

Experiment #18

Division of tasks: conformity

mean maximum shock = 405 volts

37/40 (93%) go up to 450 volts

Explanation of obedience

Lecture 2

Obedience to authority

Two modes

Individual mode

Organizational mode

(agentic state)

Factors that favor obedience Antecedent conditions

– Family– Institutional setting– Rewards

Immediate conditions– Perception of authority– Entry into the authority system– Link between command and function– Overarching ideology

Agentic state

Properties and consequences– Tuning– Redefined meaning of the situation– Loss of responsibility– Deactivation of self-image

Binding factors– Sequential nature of the action– Situational obligations– Anxiety

Milgram, 50 years later

Lecture 2

Obedience to authority

Milgram, 50 years later

A product of a particular era (1960s) and a particular country (USA)?

The equivalent of a genocide?

Ethics committees

The US, after Milgram

9 studies, 1967 to 1976

Average obedience rate: 61%

ABC news, 2007: 65%

The world, after Milgram

9 studies, 1968 to 1985

Australia (40%), Austria (80%), England (50%), India (43%), Italy (85%), Jordan (63%), South Africa (88%), Spain (50%), and West Germany (85%).

French film, 2010: 81%

The world, after Milgram

Like a genocide?

Minus the propaganda, minus the threat of coercion.

Extra close supervision.

Subsidiary task.