In Milgram's obedience study, how did exposure to two disobedient models influence participants' likelihood to administer the highest shock level (450V)?

In Milgram's obedience study, how did exposure to two disobedient models influence participants' likelihood to administer the highest shock level (450V)?

• A. Obedience increases to 80%
• B. Only 10% go to full 450V
• C. Obedience drops to 0%
• D. Obedience remains at 65%

Answer: (B)

Exposure to two people who refuse to obey shows a strong social model that disobedience is acceptable. When peers openly resist the experimenter’s demands, participants look to others to judge how to act under pressure, and the authority’s pressure feels less legitimate. This kind of social influence—seeing others disobey and feeling the group norm shift—greatly reduces obedience. In this setup, only about one in ten participants go all the way to the highest shock, a sharp drop from the original high level of obedience.

Exposure to two people who refuse to obey shows a strong social model that disobedience is acceptable. When peers openly resist the experimenter’s demands, participants look to others to judge how to act under pressure, and the authority’s pressure feels less legitimate. This kind of social influence—seeing others disobey and feeling the group norm shift—greatly reduces obedience. In this setup, only about one in ten participants go all the way to the highest shock, a sharp drop from the original high level of obedience.