These cornerstone studies have been critically appraised for their methodological approaches and ethical considerations. They continue to serve as the foundation for ongoing discourse in the realm of social psychology. Scholarly examination of these works often engages with the reproducibility of findings and the contextual factors influencing obedience, such as cultural norms and situational variables. References in the study of obedience encompass seminal works such as Stanley Milgram’s experiments on obedience to authority (Milgram, 1963) and Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment (Zimbardo, 1971). These studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying obedience to power structures. The purpose of Milgram’s study was to observe how the participant (the teacher) reacted to the experimenter’s commands, who was positioned as an authority figure.
Obedience includes considering social context, the authority and power of others, and personal morals and values. Obedience is more likely when the individual giving orders has more status or expertise, however, charisma alone maybe sufficient. Children tend to be rewarded for obedience making unquestioning obedience more common in later life. This can be positive and help maintain social harmony but Stanley Milgram, (1963) showed that blind obedience can lead us to commit brutal acts against others. He claims that we may not agree with what we are being asked to do but that obedience to authority occurs when we believe someone else is responsible for our actions.
Obedience: Meaning, Causes and Experiment Phycology
In psychology, studies have examined how people may unquestioningly accept what people in power and authority demand rather than critically considering an alternative action. Building this understanding may also help people better recognize abuses of power and find ways to better promote responsible, ethical behavior. Obedience is when a person follows the orders or rules given by someone who has authority over them, like a teacher or a parent. Obedience is a powerful force for our upgrade and personal transformation. Every instruction from God always moves us forward and God’s instructions to us are not in anyway to reduce us or bring us down.
- At the same time, you’re aware that if you don’t obey them, then your parent(s) can, and often will, punish you.
- Obedience is a form of social influence that involves performing an action under the orders of an authority figure.
- Therefore, we can see that while obedience and conformity can often be confused for one or the other, there are clear differences that set them apart.
- SYNONYMS compliant, docile, tractable, yielding, deferential, respectful.
- Contemporary research into obedience usually reinforces this finding and additionally identifies another layer of the psychological aspect of obedience through the better-than-average (BTA) effect.
Psychologists have identified several explanations for why people obey, focusing on the agentic state, legitimacy of authority, and dispositional factors like the Authoritarian Personality. Milgram’s famous experiments provide key insights into situational factors influencing obedience, including proximity, location, and uniform. One of the pivotal moments in the development of the concept of obedience can be attributed to the groundbreaking work of social psychologist Stanley Milgram in the 1960s. Milgram’s experiments on obedience to authority had a profound impact on the field. Conducted at Yale University, his studies revealed that ordinary individuals were willing to administer increasingly severe electric shocks to a person in distress, simply because an authority figure instructed them to do so.
Life and Legacy of Psychologist Erik Erikson
- She has experience as Subject Leader for Psychology and Sociology, and her favourite topics to teach are research methods (especially inferential statistics!) and attachment.
- These references, along with the seminal works of Milgram and Zimbardo, form a vital thread in the intricate tapestry of obedience literature.
- Milgram’s obedience experiments are not repeated today due to ethical concerns, as many participants were significantly distraught at the perceived torture.
- The first group established a baseline of perceived response to an unethical experiment, and the second group established what people would actually do.
- Support from others plays a very significant role in determining the degree of obedience in a given situation.
Milgram’s experiments took place in a historical context marked by questions surrounding obedience, particularly in the aftermath of World War II and the atrocities committed during that time. The findings of his research raised important ethical concerns and sparked significant discussions about the nature of obedience and the potential for individuals to blindly follow orders. In psychology, obedience refers to the act of following orders or complying with instructions from an authority figure. This behavioral principle has been a subject of interest since ancient times, evolving through philosophical discourse and theological debate. In the first group, 96.4% of participants reported they would disobey or become whistleblowers. However, the second group demonstrated different behavior, as 76.5% of participants obeyed the experimenter, and only 9.4% became whistleblowers.
Factors That Impact Obedience
When people don’t believe that the authority is qualified to direct them, they are unlikely to obey. The concept of obedience has a rich historical background in the field of psychology. It originated in the mid-20th century and has since been shaped by key figures and significant events that have contributed to its evolution. It involves recognizing the authority of the person giving the directives and can have both positive and negative consequences depending on how it is applied.
Conformity refers to both implicit and explicit pressures that a group puts on an individual. Obedience is a type of social influence, where an authority figure explicitly tells an individual how to behave. While Milgram explained obedience by the factors discussed above, Adorno (1950)² argued that it was an individual’s personality as opposed to their environment that causes obedience.
What is called obedient?
Adam studied at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine for his MSc and PhD in Developmental Physiology, complemented by an Honours BSc specializing in Biomedical Research from Queen’s University. His extensive clinical and research background in women’s health at Mount Sinai Hospital includes significant contributions to initiatives to improve patient comfort, mental health outcomes, and cognitive care. His work has focused on understanding physiological responses and developing practical, patient-centered approaches to enhance well-being.
A person who has clear authority and control over another person, he can only give an order to someone to obey it. If the child accepts his father’s order and goes to study he is said to obey his father. In another situation a boy of 10 years asks the permission of his father to join a cricket team as a player. Disobedient persons face a lot of difficulties in their day to day life.
Behavior Feedback Effect: Psychology Definition, History & Examples
The attitude of obedience says that obeying God over every other demand in your life is a priority. If a person disobeys one with power and authority he is awarded various punishments like bad entry in C.C.R, transfer, fines, stoppage of increments and promotions and finally may be and termination demotion. Another obeys and proceeds to his new place of work, this is obedience.
It represents the legitimate power that one individual or group holds over another, often conditioning the latter to follow directives without resistance. Authority can be formal, such as a police officer or a teacher, or it can be informal, such as a charismatic leader or an influential person within a social group. Obedience is the act of following the commands or orders of an authority figure, even if it goes against one’s own moral judgment or beliefs. The define obedience in psychology study found that people are often surprisingly obedient to authority figures, even when what they’re being asked to do harms others or goes against their morals. Nearly 65% of participants obeyed the experimenters, despite the cries of pain from the other participants. Subsequent research citations have built upon the original premises established by Milgram and Zimbardo, offering contemporary insights and fostering a nuanced understanding of obedience within an ever-evolving social landscape.
The Stanford Prison Experiment
Further, additional experiments conducted by Milgram also suggest that social support enables the person to disobey the commands and orders of the authority. In order to examine this view and to explore the nature of obedience he designed an experiment similar to those used by Arnold Buss to study human aggression. In this study Milgram took some participants who were told that they could deliver electric shocks to another person each time, he committed an error on a task of learning. Compliance, on the other hand, is the act of acquiescing to a request or demand, typically from a peer or someone without overt authority. It involves performing a behavior or changing one’s behavior in response to a direct request or suggestion from someone else. Compliance can be influenced by factors such as reciprocity, social proof, or authority figures, but it does not necessarily involve a shift in attitudes or beliefs like conformity does.