Agency Theory - Milgram (1974) Flashcards
Who made Agency Theory and when?
Stanley Milgram 1974
How are humans organised socially and what does that mean according to Milgram?
Humans are in hierarchically organised social groups. this means that for them to function correctly the subordinates have to suppress their personal desires to carry out their superiors wishes.
Autonomous State:
A mindset where we behave independently, make our own decisions about how we behave and take responsibility for the consequences of our actions.
Agentic State:
A mindset which allows us to carry out orders from a legitimate authority figure, even if they conflict with our personal sense of right or wrong. We absolve ourself of personal responsibility, believing that because we are acting in someone else’s behalf, any negative consequences is their responsibility.
Agentic Shift
The switch between autonomous and agentic state. It occurs when we perceive someone as a legitimate source authority and allow them to control our behaviour.
Moral Strain:
A state of metal discomfort or anxiety experienced in the agentic state when a person’s actions conflict with their personal morality.
It is usually not enough to provoke defiance.
Strength of agency theory:
It is supported by Milgram’s 1963 study.
The study found that 100% of participants would administer a shock of 300V as punishment for making a mistake on a word learning task and 65% would go to the final 450V (ignoring warning signs).
Supports the suggestion that in the face of legitimate authority people are likely to carry out orders despite high levels of moral strain.
Opposing View of agency theory:
Gina Perry 2012 questioned the internal validity of Milgram’s studies saying that participants saw through his deception.
Recently released evidence from the Yale University archives of this study which showed that across all of Milgram’s variations 60% of participants disobeyed the experimenter, and that many questioned if the shocks were real.
Weakness of agency theory:
Rank and Jacobson 1977 suggested that the agentic shift is not inevitable. Their study with nurses found that 89% of nurses failed to obey orders from a doctor who asked them to administer an overdose of valium, even though the doctor is an obvious source of authority. They remained autonomous.
Application of agency theory:
The principle that when binding factors outweigh moral strain obedience follows has been applied to military strategies to ensure soldiers follow orders without questioning by reducing moral strain:
- using dehumanising language when referring to the enemy
- using euphemisms such as collateral damage
An authority’s communication can minimise moral strain.
Binding Factors:
Factors that ensure the individual stays in the agentic shift.
When do we operate in the autonomous state?
- alone
- with peers
- with those we perceive to be below us in the social hierarchy
When to we operate in the autonomous state?
- when we undergo the agentic shift (in the presence of a legitimate authority.
Balanced Conclusion of agency theory:
There is extensive, well controlled experiments to explore the phenomenon of destructive obedience.
It is oversimplified.
However agentic shift is not inevitable so it may be more beneficial for society to examine the factors that makes people more likely to resist destructive obedience.
This allows for more independent thinking.
