1.2.1 Explanations for obedience

Question 1

What is the agentic shift?

Answer 1

When orders come from a figure of authority we can easily deny personal responsibility because it is assumed that they will take ultimate responsibility. When this happens we become ‘agents’ of an external authority.

Question 2

What are the 2 opposing sets of demand which obedience occurs due to?

Answer 2

The external authority and internal authority.

Question 3

What is external authority?

Answer 3

Authority of the authority figure.

Question 4

What is internal authority?

Answer 4

Authority of our own conscience.

Question 5

What is the agentic state?

Answer 5

The agentic state is a mindset which allows us to carry out orders from an authority figure, even if they conflict with our personal sense of right and wrong.

Question 6

What is the autonomous state?

Answer 6

An autonomous state is the opposite of an agentic state and means the person has autonomy over their actions and can act according to their own principles.

Question 7

What are binding factors?

Answer 7

Binding factors are when aspects of the situation mean the individual is able to take away their own ‘moral strain’ and ignore their damaging behaviour.

Question 8

What is legitimacy of authority?

Answer 8

Legitimacy of authority refers to the perceived right of an authority figure to have power and control over others.

Question 9

What is destructive authority and obedience?

Answer 9

This is when power is used for destructive purposes and when obedience is used to harm others.

Question 10

Evaluation of explanations for obedience.

Answer 10

/The agentic shift cannot explain why some participants in Milgram’s study did not obey, as, in theory, they should all have been in an agentic state
/Therefore, this cannot explain all obedience or obedience over long periods of time (such as in Nazi Germany)
/Blass and Schmitt (2001) asked observers to explain who they thought was responsible for the harm caused to the learner in Milgram’s study
/Most thought the experimenter was responsible, so supporting the agentic state explanation
/The legitimacy of authority is supported by cultural differences
In countries where obedience and deference to authority are less valued (such as Australia), obedience rates are much lower than in countries that value legitimate authority figures (such as Germany)
/This again suggests that legitimacy of authority plays a part in obedience