Final answer:
In Milgram's study, obedience is maximized when the experimenter as a person of authority remains close to the teacher throughout the experiment. This presence of authority makes participants more likely to administer shocks as instructed.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Stanley Milgram's study on obedience, the situation that maximizes the teacher's obedience is when the experimenter is a person of authority who remains close to the teacher throughout the experiment.
Milgram's research showed that obedience to authority could lead individuals to perform actions they might otherwise find objectionable. Through various scenarios, Milgram demonstrated that the physical presence of an authoritative figure significantly impacted the level of obedience from the participants.
When the experimenter remained in proximity, making the authority more salient, participants were more likely to follow instructions to administer electric shocks to the learner, even against their personal conscience.
Variations of the original experiment showed that when the humanity of the person being shocked was increased, or the authority of the experimenter decreased, obedience also decreased. For instance, when the participant had to place the learner's hand on the shock electrode, the rate of compliance dropped significantly.
Therefore, the correct answer supporting the highest obedience in Milgram's study is option c) the experimenter, as a person of authority, is physically close to the teacher during the experiment.