Agency Theory Evaluation

Question 1

Milgram’s participants showed stress throughout the experiment, e.g. swearing, smoking, seizures

Answer 1

Supports the theory as it suggests the existence of moral strain

Question 2

Blass (1996) showed p’s an edited film of Milgram’s study and questioned them on who was responsible - p’s attributed blame to the experimenter and not to the “teacher”

Answer 2

Supports the theory as it suggests the deference of responsibility in the agentic shift

Question 3

Theory ignores individual differences in obedience and the ability of leaders to command obedience

Answer 3

Refutes the theory as it suggests that some leaders are better than others at gaining obedience, while the theory suggests due to the agentic state that anyone in a perceived station of authority can gain obedience. It also suggests that everyone will be affected by authority the same way, while individual differences make some people more susceptible to authority than others

Question 4

Other studies have sown obedience is more to do with the leader than the subordinate

Answer 4

Refutes the theory as it suggests that it is the leader who creates obedience, while the theory suggests that it is the subordinate who will adopt an obedient state in the agentic shift