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What was the main aim of Bocchiaro et al.'s (2012) study?

  1. To explore authority figures' influence

  2. To investigate individuals' obedience to authority

  3. To evaluate the extent of disobedience and whistleblowing

  4. To analyze ethics in psychological research

The correct answer is: To evaluate the extent of disobedience and whistleblowing

The primary aim of Bocchiaro et al.'s (2012) study was to evaluate the extent of disobedience and whistleblowing in response to unethical requests made by authority figures. This study was designed to explore how individuals would respond when faced with moral dilemmas, particularly when instructed to carry out actions that they believed to be unethical. Participants were placed in a scenario where they had to choose between complying with the authority’s request or standing up against it by refusing to participate or reporting the unethical behavior, thus highlighting concepts of obedience, disobedience, and the act of whistleblowing. While there are elements of authority's influence and individuals' obedience in this research, the core focus was specifically on the behaviors of disobedience and the willingness to report unethical practices. The study employed a novel approach for examining these issues, which distinguished it from more traditional studies focused solely on obedience to authority. Therefore, this emphasis on measuring and understanding disobedience and whistleblowing distinctly characterizes the main aim of the research.