Explanations of obediance (agentic state etc.) Flashcards
What is the agentic state and what do we feel?
A mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our actions or behaviour
why do we feel no personal responsibility whilst in the agentic state?
Because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authorative figure, therefore the blame can be displaced onto them if something happens. This also means we ignore damaging effects of our behaviour
What is the automonous state?
Where we are free to behave in a state according to our own principles, responsible for our actions.
What is the agentic shift?
a shift from the automonous state to the agentic state
How is legitimacy of authority an explanation for obedience?
It suggests that we are more likely to obey people we perceive to have authority over us. This justifies the authority, by their position in power.
What are the consequences of leg.of auth.?
-some people are granted the power to punish others
-can be a problem when the powers are used for destructive purposes e.g. Hitler/War.
AO3: How is milgrams study in research support to the agentic state being an explanation of obediance.
In Milgrams study, participants worried they would be held responsible for the damage of the shocks.
When they were told the ‘experimenter’ was responsible, they continued.
This supports agentic state being an explanation for conformity, as they experienced an agentic shift from aut-agentic. As they believed they were no longer responsible for any harm caused.
One limitation is that it cannot explain some obediance findings.
E.g. 16/18 nurses were found to disobey the Dr who ordered them to over prescribe a patient, as they knew i would cause an OD.
How does this challenge the agentic state theory?
*challenges it as usually people would obey the authorative fig. as they are higher in the social hierarchy.
*would have expected them to obey, experiencing an agentic shift from auto-agentic. (explain both states)
*Therefore…..
AO3: one problem is that we don’t need to be in the ag.state to be in destructive behaviour.
Some members of war murdered others without being ordered to.
How is this an issue?
This is a problem because:
*it means they weren’t in the agentic state as there was no auth. person ordering them
*they were in an automonous state.
*this means they may have acted from hatred or prejudice instead.
This is a problem because it suggests that the agentic state is NOT needed for destructive behaviour.
AO3: One strength of leg.of.auth. as an explanation for obedience is the account of cultural differences in obedience.
Other countries repeated Miligrams study, and obedience rates varied.
What does this suggest?
This suggests that
*in some cultures, authority may be more likey accepted as legitimate.
*this may reflect the different structures of society and how children have been raised to view authority and social hierarchies.
What could it be about disobediant people that makes them disobey?
*Their personality may restrict the, from obeying, despite the figure holding authority.
*upbringing may have affected WHO they believe really has enough authority to be obeyed.
