L3 Uniformed Protective Services - Research Studies on Obedience

An overview of the key features of each theory, their strengths and weaknesses and their
application to working in the uniformed protective services.
• Milgram’s obedience research (1963):
o remote feedback
o voice feedback
o proximity
o touch-proximity.

• Burger (2009) replicating Milgram.

• Hofling’s Hospital Experiment of Obedience (1966):
o nurses ordered to inject dangerous levels of a drug in patients
o effect of social pressure on obedience
o implications of study.

• Milgram and Hofling’s research outcomes on obedience:
o perception of legitimate authority
o diffusion of responsibility
o socialisation
o entrapment.