Explanations for obedience: legitimacy of authority

Question 1

What is meant by legitimacy of authority?

Answer 1

The idea that we recognise the authority of people e.g., parents, police officers, doctors etc. We believe these authority figures to hold power and their orders should be followed.

Question 2

What factors can increase the legitimacy of an authority figure?

Answer 2

• Uniform
• Power to punish

Question 3

How do we know who is a legitimate authority figure?

Answer 3

We are socialised to recognise the authority of certain individuals;

Question 4

Who has conducted research that supports legitimacy of authority?

Answer 4

• Milgram
• Bickman

Question 5

PEEL- Supporting evidence- Milgram

Answer 5

P: supporting evidence from Milgram
E: In a variation of his original study, he found that ppts were more likely to obey a researcher when the research took place in a prestigious setting.
E: When the study was conducted at Yale, obedience was 65%, when the study was conducted in a run-down office block, obedience was 47.5%
L: Therefore supporting we do obey because we think the authority gigure has greater legitimate authority and social power.

Question 6

PEEL- Supporting evidence- Bickman

Answer 6

P:
E: Bickman (1974) found that when he asked passers-by in New York to lend money to a stranger for a parking meter, they would obey 49% of the time when he was dressed in street clothes, but this increased to 92% when he was dressed in a security guard’s uniform.
E: This demonstrates how uniform adds to legitimacy of authority
L: Therefore increases validity of the theory; because it shows that we will follow orders provided the person giving them is seen to have legitimate authority (i.e., are wearing a uniform).