Agentic State and Legitimacy of Authority

Question 1

Agentic state

Answer 1

A person sees themself as an agent for carrying out another person’s will

Question 1

Legitimate authority

Answer 1

A person who is perceived to be in a position of social control within a situation

Question 2

My Lai massacre

Answer 2

1968, Lt William Calley ordered his men to systematically murder the residents of My Lai in a search and destroy mission. 500 villagers were killed. He said he was just following orders

Question 3

The agentic state as a loss of control

Answer 3

Fennis and Aarts (2012) say that agentic state is more likely any situation in which the individual experiences a reduction in their sense of personal control. Agentic state may spread to other forms of social influence

Question 4

The legitimate authority explanation and real-life obedience

Answer 4

Legitimacy can serve as the basis for justifying harming others. A consequence of this is that people may readily engage in unquestioning obedience to authority, no matter how destructive or immoral