Obedience - Hofling et al

OUTLINE

22 nurses on night duty in a psychiatric hospital were phoned by 'Dr. Smith' , an unknown doctor, wo told the nurse to give a patient 20mg of Astroten, despite it being double the maximum dose of 10mg.

RESULTS

The drug was a placebo, so no patients were harmed. All but one of the nurses obeyed the orders given over the phone.

HOW TSF COULD AFFECT THIS

• The nurses were in a place of work, so the setting would ensure that they would be more obedient.
• The doctor was an authority figure with the power to punish, so the nurses were more likely to obey him.