9.5
Obedience
According to obedience research, we may harm others under the forceful pressures of an authority figure (Milgram, 1974). How about if the inappropriat…
Sometimes, people are willing to go against their personal standards and obey commands that may result in harm. This form of social influence is called obedience—following orders or requests from perceived figures of authority.
For example, during one original field study—in a natural hospital setting—an alleged doctor, in this case the authority, ordered nurses over the phone to administer an “unknown” drug, one that was not on the officially approved list, and, exceeded the maximum safe daily dose. In reality, the drug was a placebo.
The nurses—at least 95% of them—proceeded to honor the “doctor’s” orders, even though it was against protocol and doing so could have resulted in fatality of the patient.
Interestingly, in the control group, nurses were simply asked what they would do in a similar situation. The same percentage, 95%, said they would NOT obey with the orders given.
Thus, when people are placed in the actual situation, they may act against their own better judgment.
Q1: What is obedience in social psychology?
Obedience is a form of social influence where people follow orders or requests from perceived authority figures, even when those commands conflict with personal standards. In a classic hospital field study, nurses administered an unapproved drug exceeding safe dosage limits when ordered by an alleged doctor, demonstrating how authority can override individual judgment and protocol.
Q2: Why do people obey harmful orders from authority figures?
Research suggests that situational pressures from authority figures compel obedience despite potential harm. In the Hofling study, 21 of 22 nurses complied with a doctor's phoned request to dispense an unfamiliar drug at dangerous dosages. Participants later reported embarrassment, anxiety, and guilt, indicating they acted against their better judgment under perceived authority pressure.
Q3: How do questionnaire responses differ from actual obedience behavior?
When asked hypothetically, 95% of nurses said they would not obey harmful orders. However, in actual field conditions, 95% of nurses complied with the dangerous drug request. This discrepancy reveals that people overestimate their ability to resist authority pressures when placed in real situations, suggesting self-awareness alone does not reduce compliance.
Q4: What workplace factors can reduce harmful compliance?
Research identifies several factors that decrease compliance with questionable orders. Opportunities to discuss decisions with colleagues successfully reduced compliance in replications of the Hofling study. Additionally, an increased sense of personal responsibility distinguished non-compliant nurses from compliant ones, suggesting that fostering autonomy and team communication strengthens ethical decision-making.
Q5: Why might nurses feel conflicted when obeying harmful medical orders?
Nurses experience competing pressures between duty to patients and need for acceptance by authority figures and their team. While a sense of duty to challenge questionable practices exists, the desire for team acceptance can override it. This internal conflict creates negative emotions like guilt and anxiety, even when nurses comply with orders, reflecting the psychological cost of obedience.
Q6: How does the interdependence between nurses and physicians affect obedience?
The increasing interdependence between nurses and physicians creates power dynamics that influence compliance. Doctors hold perceived authority, while nurses depend on them professionally, strengthening the likelihood of obedience. This hierarchical relationship, combined with workplace pressures, makes it difficult for nurses to resist harmful orders despite their medical training and ethical obligations.
Q7: Can awareness of social pressures prevent obedience to authority?
No. Later replications of obedience research strongly suggest that awareness of forces underlying social pressures does not necessarily reduce compliance to authority in actual situations. Even when people understand the mechanisms of social influence, situational factors and authority presence remain powerful enough to override conscious resistance and ethical judgment.