Download Obedience

Obedience
Psychology
What is Obedience?
• Take a few minutes to think about this
Obedience is
• Obedience is the result of social influence where
somebody acts in response to a direct order from an
authority figure (Cardwell,2009)
• (Obedience to authority)
The differences between Conformity and
Obedience
• Both obedience and conformity are outcomes of social influence
• Obedience: Social influence takes the form of orders from an
authority figure
• Conformity: The social norms of the majority exert influence on an
individual to go along with the behaviour & attitudes of the group
Public compliance and private change
• Obedience: Often involves compliance, private attitudes may not
change
• Conformity: may involve a change or shift of attitudes and beliefs
Conscious vs unconscious effects
• Figures who command obedience display signs of their authority and
individuals are usually aware that they have obeyed an order
• In the case of conformity individuals are often unaware that they
have been subjected to conformity pressures and may contest the
idea that they been influenced by others to modify views or
behaviour
Stanley Milgram’s Study
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W147ybOdgpE
Activity
• Find out about the variations in Milgrams’s study and complete the
hand out after conducting your own research
• Discuss findings
Overview
• Introduction to obedience and Milgram’s study
• Next week: Why do people obey?