Agency Theory Flashcards
Who was the agency theory proposed by and why?
By Milgram to explain how people respond to authority
What is the autonomous state?
A state where we feel our behaviour is self directed and chosen. Where you can choose how you want to behave.
What is the agentic shift?
When a person encounters a legitimate authority figure, they may undergo agentic shift.
What is the agentic state?
The person acts on the authority figure behalf, not taking responsibility for their actions. Thinking the responsibility lies with the authority figure
What is moral strain?
If the person’s beliefs conflict with their behaviour, they will feel discomfort or anxiety. This is known as moral strain. If the moral strain is too high, they might defy the authority figures
What are binding factors?
Factors that lead the person to listen to the authority figure.
If the Binding Factors (such as proximity and appearance of authority) are greater than the Moral Strain, the person would keep listening
What is a strength of Agency theory?
A strength of Milgram’s agency theory is that it is supported by his 1963 study. In this study he found that 100% of participants would administer a shock of 300 V to a confederate as a punishment for making a mistake on a word learning task and 65% would go right up to the final 450 V, beyond the shock labelled ‘danger, extreme shock’. This is important because it clearly supports Milgram’s suggestion that in the face of legitimate authority people are highly likely to carry out orders, despite high levels of moral strain, like sweating and anxiety.
What is a weakness of Agency theory?
A weakness of Milgram’s agency theory is that it does not explain individual differences as to why some people obey, and some do not. For example, 35% of the participants in Milgram’s study did not give the 450V shock. This suggests disobedience/dissent can occur for many reasons which are not accounted for by Agency theory such as personality type, gender and situation, therefore showing agency theory is an incomplete explanation for obedience.
