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 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 Ordinary experimenter mean maximum shock = 240 volts 4/40 (20%) go up to 450 volts Experiment #14 Ordinary experimenter, scientist victim mean maximum shock = 150 volts 0/40 (0%) go up to 450 volts Experiment #15 Conflict between 2 experimenters mean maximum shock = 150 volts 0/40 (0%) go up to 450 volts 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 Division of tasks: revolt mean maximum shock = 240 volts 4/40 (10%) go up to 450 volts 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.