The Bocchiaro study was carried out in order to investigate the levels of disobedience in people when given an unethichal request- whether people obey, disobey or whistle-blow The study also investigated the difference between how people think they will behave and how they actually do. In addition, Bocchiaro investigated whether people who disobeyed or whistle-blew had different personality traits to those who obeyed.
Aims of the Study
The sample was 149 self-selected students from the VU university in Amsterdam, who responded to a flyer placed in the cafeteria. Participants were paid 7 euros or given course credit 92 students also took part in pilot tests to ensure the study was ethical and believable, and 138 'comparison' students were asked to predict obedient behaviour 11 students were removed from the sample after they became suspicious about the nature of the study
Sample
Participants were taken to a room, and asked to complete psychological tests to assess personality traits They were then asked to either fill in an ethics form reporting the unethical nature of the study, or complete a statement advertising the unethical study to peers. After, participants were debriefed so that they understood the need for deception in the study,
Method
. Participants were left alone so that there was no influence on them, giving them the opportunity to whistle-blow or disobey the professor's request. .
Whistle-Blowing and Disobedience
Comparison group predicted 18.8% to obey, 31.9% to disobey and 64.5% to whistle-blow. In reality, 76.5% obeyed, 14.1% disobeyed, and 9.4% whistle-blew- of those that whistle-blew, 9/14 also obeyed. This would show us that people act differently to how they think they will, and we can see that typically most people are obedient regardless of the task they are given.
Results + Conclusion
. . . . .
- Was morally acceptable due to debriefings and pilot tests to ensure it was ethical.- A standardised procedure was used- Qualitative and quantitative data- Good representative sample- High ecological validity
Evaluation
- Self selected sample may minimise variety- Participants put in stressful situations- Deception used by experimenters- Sample size may be too small
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