Evaluation Of Explanations For Obedience

Question 1

Milgram argues ppts acted with obedience due to being in agentic state; as when questioned experimenter accepts responsibility for harm to learner.

Answer 1

The scientist has legitimate authority in the university. Obedience dropped when uniform replaced with clothes ( reduced legitimacy of authority); obedience also dropped when orders by telephone which made less likely to stay in agentic state.

Question 2

However, there are many methodological flaws.

Answer 2

Shock generator lacks mundane realism.
Lacks ecological validity.
Gender bias.
Orne and Holland (1968)

Question 3

35% resisted the authority figure, this can’t be explained by situation factors of agentic state and legitimacy of authority, as each ppt had same experience.

Answer 3

Adorno’s dispositional ‘authoritarian personality’ theory acknowledges willingness to obey differes.