[Date]
PYC4803 Assignment
2 2024 (785738) -
DUE 26 July 2024
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
, PYC4803 Assignment 2 2024 (785738) - DUE 26 July 2024
(A) Give your own example of destructive obedience that occurred in your
society and explain possible reasons as to the underlying reasons why people
comply with this form of social influence. (20 marks)
Study chapter nine (prosocial behaviour) in your prescribed book before
attempting to answer this question.
Example: The Milgram Experiment
In the early 1960s, psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted a series of
experiments to investigate the extent of obedience to authority figures, even when
it involved potentially harmful actions. Participants were instructed to administer
what they believed were increasingly painful electric shocks to another person
(who was actually an actor and not harmed) whenever they answered questions
incorrectly. Despite hearing apparent cries of pain and pleas to stop from the actor,
many participants continued to administer shocks as directed by the experimenter.
Possible Reasons for Compliance:
1. Legitimacy of Authority: Participants in the Milgram experiment obeyed
the authority figure (the experimenter) who instructed them to continue
administering shocks. The presence of an authority figure creates a social
norm of obedience, where individuals feel compelled to comply due to their
perceived duty to follow orders from someone in a position of authority.
2. Gradual Commitment: The shocks in the Milgram experiment started at a
low level and increased incrementally. This gradual escalation may have led
participants to become progressively desensitized to the harm they were
causing, making it easier for them to continue obeying without fully
realizing the consequences of their actions.
3. Social Norms: In many societies, there exists a strong social norm to obey
authority figures and conform to societal expectations. Individuals may fear
social rejection or judgment if they defy authority, leading them to comply
with destructive commands to avoid disapproval or punishment.
4. Role of Responsibility: Participants in the experiment shifted responsibility
for their actions onto the authority figure. By following orders, they felt less
PYC4803 Assignment
2 2024 (785738) -
DUE 26 July 2024
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
, PYC4803 Assignment 2 2024 (785738) - DUE 26 July 2024
(A) Give your own example of destructive obedience that occurred in your
society and explain possible reasons as to the underlying reasons why people
comply with this form of social influence. (20 marks)
Study chapter nine (prosocial behaviour) in your prescribed book before
attempting to answer this question.
Example: The Milgram Experiment
In the early 1960s, psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted a series of
experiments to investigate the extent of obedience to authority figures, even when
it involved potentially harmful actions. Participants were instructed to administer
what they believed were increasingly painful electric shocks to another person
(who was actually an actor and not harmed) whenever they answered questions
incorrectly. Despite hearing apparent cries of pain and pleas to stop from the actor,
many participants continued to administer shocks as directed by the experimenter.
Possible Reasons for Compliance:
1. Legitimacy of Authority: Participants in the Milgram experiment obeyed
the authority figure (the experimenter) who instructed them to continue
administering shocks. The presence of an authority figure creates a social
norm of obedience, where individuals feel compelled to comply due to their
perceived duty to follow orders from someone in a position of authority.
2. Gradual Commitment: The shocks in the Milgram experiment started at a
low level and increased incrementally. This gradual escalation may have led
participants to become progressively desensitized to the harm they were
causing, making it easier for them to continue obeying without fully
realizing the consequences of their actions.
3. Social Norms: In many societies, there exists a strong social norm to obey
authority figures and conform to societal expectations. Individuals may fear
social rejection or judgment if they defy authority, leading them to comply
with destructive commands to avoid disapproval or punishment.
4. Role of Responsibility: Participants in the experiment shifted responsibility
for their actions onto the authority figure. By following orders, they felt less
