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16 Dec 2025

300

2 pages

Understanding Situational Factors in Obedience in Higher Psychology

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Tyra-Angel @xt_ang_studyx

Ever wonder why people follow orders, even when they feel uncomfortable doing so? Milgram's famous obedience experiments revealed... Show more

Obedience Situational Factors - Milgram Variations..
The original Milgram experiment was changed in various ways in order to test the situat

Situational Factors in Obedience

You've probably heard about Milgram's shocking experiment where participants gave electric shocks to strangers. What makes this study brilliant is how Milgram tweaked different variables to see what made people more or less likely to obey authority figures.

Proximity is all about physical distance - both between you and the authority figure, and between you and the victim. In the original study, participants couldn't see the "learner" getting shocked, which made it easier to keep going. When both people were in the same room, obedience dropped to 40% because participants could see the suffering directly.

The most extreme test required participants to physically force the learner's hand onto a shock plate. Only 30% obeyed in this scenario. When the authority figure gave orders over the phone instead of being present, obedience plummeted to just 27% - people even started cheating by giving weaker shocks!

Key insight The closer you are to seeing the consequences of your actions, the more likely you are to resist harmful orders.

Obedience Situational Factors - Milgram Variations..
The original Milgram experiment was changed in various ways in order to test the situat

Location and Uniform Effects

Location matters more than you might think. The original experiment took place at prestigious Yale University, and many participants said this gave them confidence that the research was legitimate. When Milgram moved the study to a run-down building, obedience dropped to 47.5% because the setting had less authority and credibility.

Uniforms are incredibly powerful symbols of authority. Think about how you automatically respect police officers or judges partly because of what they're wearing. In Milgram's study, the experimenter wore a lab coat to signal scientific authority.

When the experimenter left and was replaced by an ordinary person in everyday clothes, obedience crashed to just 20% - the lowest result of all the variations. This shows how much we rely on visual cues to decide who deserves our obedience.

Evaluation of these studies shows they're high in ecological validity since they test real-world factors. However, they're harder to control and replicate than laboratory studies, plus they raise serious ethical concerns about deceiving participants.

Remember These situational factors explain why ordinary people can end up doing extraordinary things - both good and bad - depending on their circumstances.

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This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

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Sudenaz Ocak

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In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

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very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

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I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

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THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

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This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

 

Psychology

300

16 Dec 2025

2 pages

Understanding Situational Factors in Obedience in Higher Psychology

user profile picture

Tyra-Angel

@xt_ang_studyx

Ever wonder why people follow orders, even when they feel uncomfortable doing so? Milgram's famous obedience experiments revealed that situational factors - things happening around us - play a massive role in whether we comply with authority figures or resist... Show more

Obedience Situational Factors - Milgram Variations..
The original Milgram experiment was changed in various ways in order to test the situat

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Situational Factors in Obedience

You've probably heard about Milgram's shocking experiment where participants gave electric shocks to strangers. What makes this study brilliant is how Milgram tweaked different variables to see what made people more or less likely to obey authority figures.

Proximity is all about physical distance - both between you and the authority figure, and between you and the victim. In the original study, participants couldn't see the "learner" getting shocked, which made it easier to keep going. When both people were in the same room, obedience dropped to 40% because participants could see the suffering directly.

The most extreme test required participants to physically force the learner's hand onto a shock plate. Only 30% obeyed in this scenario. When the authority figure gave orders over the phone instead of being present, obedience plummeted to just 27% - people even started cheating by giving weaker shocks!

Key insight: The closer you are to seeing the consequences of your actions, the more likely you are to resist harmful orders.

Obedience Situational Factors - Milgram Variations..
The original Milgram experiment was changed in various ways in order to test the situat

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Location and Uniform Effects

Location matters more than you might think. The original experiment took place at prestigious Yale University, and many participants said this gave them confidence that the research was legitimate. When Milgram moved the study to a run-down building, obedience dropped to 47.5% because the setting had less authority and credibility.

Uniforms are incredibly powerful symbols of authority. Think about how you automatically respect police officers or judges partly because of what they're wearing. In Milgram's study, the experimenter wore a lab coat to signal scientific authority.

When the experimenter left and was replaced by an ordinary person in everyday clothes, obedience crashed to just 20% - the lowest result of all the variations. This shows how much we rely on visual cues to decide who deserves our obedience.

Evaluation of these studies shows they're high in ecological validity since they test real-world factors. However, they're harder to control and replicate than laboratory studies, plus they raise serious ethical concerns about deceiving participants.

Remember: These situational factors explain why ordinary people can end up doing extraordinary things - both good and bad - depending on their circumstances.

We thought you’d never ask...

What is the Knowunity AI companion?

Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.

Where can I download the Knowunity app?

You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Is Knowunity really free of charge?

That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.

3

Smart Tools NEW

Transform this note into: ✓ 50+ Practice Questions ✓ Interactive Flashcards ✓ Full Mock Exam ✓ Essay Outlines

Mock Exam
Quiz
Flashcards
Essay

Most popular content: Milgram Experiment

Most popular content in Psychology

Most popular content

English - inspector calls quotes and analysis

Quotes from every main character

English LiteratureEnglish Literature
10

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Students love us — and so will you.

4.9/5

App Store

4.8/5

Google Play

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.

Stefan S

iOS user

This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.

Samantha Klich

Android user

Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user