Explanations as to why people obey

Question 1

What are the 6 explanations as to why people obey?

B.R.A.G. D.C.

Answer 1

Request by a legitimate authority

Gradual Commitment

Feel a contractual obligation

Experience Agentic Shift

Buffered from the consequences of their own answers

Personality factors - hold authoritarian attitudes (Dispositional factors)

Question 2

Explain Request by a legitimate authority as an explanation as to why people obey

Answer 2

Legitimate authority impressed the pps at Milgram’s study – proven by variations and supported by Bickman’s study
>Power is held by those whose role is defined by society

Question 3

Explain Buffered from the consequences of their actions as an explanation as to why people obey

Answer 3

Buffer = any aspect of the situation that keeps pps from having to confront the consequences of their actions. E.g. Milgram buffered his pps by having their learner in a separate room – obedience dropped form 65% to 40% when this was taken away.
Can be used to explain the willingness of people dispatching weapons of mass destruction – they don’t see immediate consequences (e.g. atomic bomb, Hiroshima – dropped by plane)

Question 4

Explain Experiencing an Agentic Shift as an explanation as to why people obey

Answer 4

Milgram’s agency theory states people operate on two levels: Autonomous individuals – behaving voluntarily & aware of consequences

Agentic levels – see themselves as agents of others; not responsible for their own actions
>Factors to keep someone in an agentic state:
1. fear of appearing rude or arrogant
2.fear of increasing ones anxiety levels
3.Consequence of agentic shift is people attribute responsibility onto someone else’s authority.

Question 5

Explain Gradual Commitment as an explanation as to why people obey

Answer 5

Pps had already given a series of smaller shocks and the voltage increment was small enough for it to be difficult to know when to disengage from the procedure

Question 6

Explain Dispositional Factors as an explanation as to why people obey

Answer 6

Auhoritarian personality-
rigid beliefs, intolerance of uncertainty or change, hostile to minorities. Milgram found those with these traits gave stronger shocks

Psychopathic personality –
Miale and Selzer claimed obedience of Milgram’s pps was a socially acceptable expression of their psychopathic impulses. Milgram contested this because when asked to choose their level of shock, they gave lower voltages.

Question 7

Explain Feeling a contractual obligation as an explanation as to why people obey

Answer 7

Pps felt as if they had verbally contracted to take part as they were publically seen to agree to the study and it’s procedures – they didn’t want to seem unhelpful by refusing