Explanations of Obedience

Question 1

What are the 2 main explanations of obedience?

Answer 1

Agentic State Theory
Legitimacy of Authority

Question 2

What is an “agent”?

Answer 2

Someone who acts for/in place for another

Question 3

What are the two ways people act in social situations according to Milgram (AST)?

Answer 3

Autonomic State
Agentic state

Question 4

What do people do in the autonomic state?

Answer 4

Aware of consequences of actions and make decisions knowing possible consequences

Act as independent individuals

Question 5

What does a person do in the Agentic State?

Answer 5

Person carries out orders with little personal responsibility

An individual session themselves as under authority of another - no responsibility

Often carries out orders without question

Question 6

What is an Agentic shift?

Answer 6

Change from autonomous state to the Agentic State

Question 7

Who developed the Agentic State Theory?

Answer 7

Milgram (1974)

Question 8

What did Milgram suggest happens when a person undergoes an Agentic Shift?

Answer 8

A person perceives someone else as a figure of authority

The other person has greater power due to their position in the social hierarchy

Question 9

How do people stay in the Agentic State (according to Milgram)?

Answer 9

BINDING FACTORS

Question 10

What are the binding factors?

Answer 10

Parts of situations allows person to ignore damaging effect of their behaviour - reduces “moral strain”

Feeling and shifting responsibility to victim - their fault for volunteering

Helps a person feel calm as they feel that what they are don’t isn’t their fault - merely agents following orders

Question 11

How did Milgram relate the Agentic State Theory to his experiment?

Answer 11

Argued the participants were agents of the experimenter and held no responsibility for their actions

Question 12

What are the strengths of the Agentic State Theory?

Answer 12

Research support - Bass & Schmidt (2001)

Question 13

What did Bass and Schmidt (2001) do?

Answer 13

Showed Milgram’s study to students
Asked who was to blame
Students blamed experimenter - not participant
Students indicated experimenter was scientists and therefore higher in social hierarchy

Question 14

What are the weaknesses of the Agentic State Theory?

Answer 14

Doesn’t support research findings (35% & Hofling)

Research evidence shows Nazi actions can’t be explained in terms of Agentic State - (Mandel 1998)

Question 15

How does the Agentic State Theory not support other research findings?

Answer 15

35% of people in Milgram’s study didn’t shock all the way
A nurse in Hofling’s study didn’t obey
Rank & Jacobson’s study - only 2/18 nurses obeyed

All people are clear “agents” but didn’t obey

Question 16

What did Mandel (1998) find about actions of Nazis that couldn’t be explained in terms of “Agentic State”?

Answer 16

Nazis obeyed orders to shoot civilians in Poland
The men weren’t told to do it - could do other duties
Men still chose to shoot

Question 17

What is Legitimacy of Authority?

Answer 17

Obeying an individual as they have signs of authority over you

Question 18

How is legitimacy of authority taught in daily lives?

Answer 18

Society is structured in a hierarchal manner - police, teacher and parents.

We are socialised to obey certain authority figures as we trust them or fear punishment

Question 19

What is the problem with Legitimacy of Authority?

Answer 19

Some people have the power to punish others

Destructive authority

Question 20

What is destructive authority?

Answer 20

When legitimate authority is used and becomes destructive - Holocaust or Milgram’s study

Question 21

What 3 factors affect legitimacy of authority?

Answer 21

Uniform
Proximity
Location

Question 22

What are the strengths of Legitimacy of Authority?

Answer 22

We need legitimate authority for a functioning society

It explains how obedience can lead to war crimes (My Lai Massacre)

Explains cultural differences in obedience

Question 23

How can Legitimacy of Authority explain how obedience can lead to war crimes?

Answer 23

Kelman and Hamilton (1989) argued My Lai massacre can be understood in terms of US army power.
- many people killed and raped
- building blown up and animals killed

Only 1 soldier found guilty - said he only “following orders” which was his duty

Question 24

How does legitimacy of authority explain cultural differences in obedience?

Answer 24

Kilham and Mann (1974) - only 16% AUSTRALIAN people shocked all they way in Milgram replication

Mantell (1971) - replicated Milgram’s experiment in Germany - 85% obedience rate

Shows cultural differences in perceived legitimacy of authority
Different cultures have different ideas of authority

Question 25

What is a weakness of Legitimacy of Authority?

Answer 25

Not all authority figures should be obeyed

Question 26

Why shouldn’t all authority figures be obeyed?

Answer 26

People may obey person of higher status even if they disagree with/cause harm to others

Proved by Milgram’s study and Harold Shipman

People should question authority figure if making unethical demand