本研究的主要目的在於以「恐懼管理理論」(Terror Management Theory)為基礎,探討「死亡威脅」、「奇魅型領導」、「命令是否符合道德」對「服從」的影響。以國軍志願役軍官(N=80)為樣本,採用2X2X2三因子混合實驗設計,操弄「死亡顯著性」(有、無)、「奇魅型領導」(高、低)及「道德與否」(符合、違反)等三個變項,依變項為「服從」。研究結果發現「奇魅型領導」及「道德與否」對服從有主要效果,受試者對於高奇魅領導者的服從程度高於低奇魅領導;對於符合道德的命令服從程度高於違反道德的命令。「奇魅領導×道德與否」對服從有顯著的交互作用效果,在符合道德的情況下,奇魅領導對服從之影響高於違反道德時,此種交互作用在命令情境為平時(相對於戰時)的狀況下更為明顯。實驗中所有和死亡威脅操弄有關的效果均不顯著。
Terror Management Theory proposed worldview defense as a death-defending mechanism of human-beings. Based on this perspective, it is predicted that military personnel under death-threatening will be more obedient than those under neutral context. The purpose of this research is to explored how ”mortality salience”, ”charismatic leadership of commander”, and ”mandate property (moral/immoral)” affect obedience of military personnel. Eighty military officers comprised sample in this research. A 2 X 2 X 2 mixed experimental design with mortality salience and charismatic leadership as between subject variables, mandate property as within subject variable, and obedience as dependent variable. The results revealed a significant main effect of charismatic leadership which indicated that subjects were more obedient to high-charismatic leaders than low-charismatic ones. A significant main effect of mandate property is found which indicated that subjects were more obedient to moral mandates than immoral ones. A significant interaction effect of ”charismatic leadership x mandate property” was found. The effect of charismatic leadership on obedience is stronger when mandates are moral than mandates are immoral. This interaction is more obvious in the scenario of peacetime than in wartime. All effects which are related to mortality salience are not significant.