(6) 🧑🧑🧒🧒 situational explanations for obedience Flashcards
Milgram proposed destructive authority occurs because..?
- individual is in an agentic state
agentic state - doesn’t take responsibility for their actions as they believe they’re acting on behalf of someone else (therefore, they’re an agent).
what’s the opposite of being in an agentic state?
- being in an autonomous state
autonomous state: when individual behaves according to own principles and takes responsibility for own actions.
what is agentic shift, and who was it proposed by?
- Milgram (1973)
- when a person shifts from autonomous state to an agentic state as they percieve someone as an authorative figure with higher position in social heriachy
what causes people to stay in an agentic state?
provide an example relating to Milgrams study
binding factors - aspects of the situation that let people downplay or overlook the harm of their actions, reducing moral strain.
e.g. shifting responsibility to the victim as they chose to volunteer for the study
what is legitimacy of authority?
idea that others higher up the social hierarchy should be obeyed, as allows society to function smoothly
(eg: some believe police have the right to punish/harm others).
why is legitimacy of authority dangerous?
when legitimate authorities become destructive (e.g. leaders such as Hitler and Stalin), people will obey destructive orders = cruel and dangerous consequences
✅ - research support for the agentic state mentality
E: In Milgram’s studies, P’s sometimes resisted giving shocks and asked who was responsible for harm. AFter E took responsibility, Ps often went through procedure without further objections.
E: as Milgram suggested, once Ps no longer took responsibility for own actions, were able to follow destructive authority easily.
❌ - agentic state is not supported by real world events.
E: Mandel (1998) describes how members of German Reserve Police Battalion 101 murdered civilians without being directly ordered to. given choice so acted autonomously.
E: Milgram’s explanation of the agentic state is oversimplified, other factors like racism or hatred, played a role in their actions.
✅ - legitimacy of authority is supported by real world examples + 🦄
E a commanding officers’ recognised authority allows them to issue orders and punishments, which soldiers, acknowledging their subordinate status, unquestioningly follow.
E: supports idea that respect of legitimate authority can result in blind and destructive obedience.
🦄: arguing obedience is due to situational variables is an oversimplification and could be used as an excuse for evil behaviour and as a way to not take responsibility for harmful behaviours.
