Explanations of obedience

Question 1

Agentic state definition

Answer 1

Milgram suggested that people operate on one of two levels. Most of the time we are in autonomous mode. This means that we feel responsible for our own behaviour. Sometimes individual may slip into agentic state. This occurs when the individual feels able to pass responsibility for their actions onto an authority figure. It is so called because the individual in this state regards themselves as an ‘agent’ of the authority figure and no longer feels responsible or accountable for their actions.

Question 2

Research evidence for agentic state

Answer 2

Milgram:
participants were more willing to do so when they were assured by the experimenter that they were not responsible for the outcomes and that the experimenter would take full responsibility if anything happened to learner

Question 3

Legitimate authority def

Answer 3

People have been socialised into acting on the requests of a legitimate authority. We tend to obey those with authority because we assume they know what they are doing. If someone has legitimate authority they have a role that is defined by society that gives them a right to exert their control over others

Question 4

Research evidence for legitmate authority

Answer 4

Bickman (1974) found that 92% of pedestrians obeyed an order to give a stranger money for a parking meter when the person giving the order was dressed as a security guard, compared to only 49% when he as dressed in ordinary clothes