Agency theory Flashcards
what does Agency theory claim ?
Agency theory claims that people go into an agentic state when commanded to do something by a legitimate authority, even if it goes against their morals.
what study supports agency theory ?
Milgram’s experiments
what theory opposes agency theory ?
social impact theory
what is the agentic state ?
a mindset which allows us to carry out orders from a legitimate authority, even if they go against our morals, as we believe we are no longer responsible.
what is an autonomous state ?
a mindset where we behave independently and feel responsible for our own actions.
what is an agentic shift ?
the switch between being in autonomous state and being in an agentic state. it occurs when we obey a legitimate authority figure.
what is moral strain?
a state of mental discomfort or anxiety experienced in the agentic state when a behaviour goes against morals.
what is an application of agency theory ?
Abu Ghraib McDonald scandal
criticism for agency theory ?
Perry argues that some of milgram’s participants questioned the ‘realness’ of the shocks which would invalidate the data and therefore milgram’s experiment cannot support the theory.
