In a study modeled on Milgram, participants are told by an experimenter in a lab coat to deliver increasing levels of (simulated) noise blasts to a "learner" each time the learner errs. Despite hearing protests, 63% of participants continue to the highest level. When the experimenter gives instructions by phone instead of in person, compliance falls to 21%.
The drop in compliance when the experimenter is remote most clearly illustrates that obedience is increased by:
- Acheck_circle
Physical proximity and presence of an authority figure
- B
Group polarization
- C
Cognitive dissonance
- D
Reciprocal determinism
Explanation
Milgram found that obedience rises when the authority is physically present and falls when the authority gives orders from a distance. Authority cues such as uniforms and titles also increase compliance.