Forum Post: New Social Power Uniforms for OWS Movement?

In order to test the power of the police uniform, Leonard Bickman had a research assistant stand in the street and asked passersby to pick up a paper bag, give a dime to a stranger, or move away from a bus stop. The research assistant wore either civilian clothes, a milkman uniform, or a guard’s uniform. Across situations, 19% obeyed the civilian, 14% the milkman, and 38% the guard.

That is, twice as many people obeyed the research assistant when he was wearing a guard’s uniform, as obeyed him when he was simply in casual clothes. Furthermore, in a second variation of the experiment, Bickman found that people continued to obey the “guard” even if he walked away after making the request, suggesting that they complied not out of coercion but because they believed in the legitimacy of his power.

Even children recognize the power of the uniform You don’t have to be an adult to see power in the police uniform. In one study, researchers Durkin and Jefferey (2000) asked children aged 5-9 years old who could make an arrest using illustrated scenarios. Their options were (1) a policeman out of uniform, (2) a policeman in uniform, and (3) a man who is not a policeman but is wearing a uniform. Children who got it wrong did so mainly because they chose a non-policeman wearing a police uniform, suggesting that for children, power really does reside in the uniform.

So what does this mean for us? Is it important that we have symbols of authority, such as the police uniform, so that we know quickly and easily who to turn to for help in a crisis? However, we must also be mindful of our tendency to obey authority and to automatically assume the power of the uniform. If something seems off to you, it’s okay to voice your suspicions and ask for identification.

Do you find that your behavior is guided by the "uniforms" that other people are wearing? Have you ever been in a situation where you obeyed an authority figure even if you weren't sure it was the right thing to do? What if they were naked or wore no badge would they have any true authority?