Explanations Of Obedience : Agentic State And Legitimacy Of Authority Flashcards
A01
-The two explanations for Obedience is the agentic state and legitimacy of authority
Agentic State
-An agentic state is when a person does not see themselves as responsible for their actions but attributes responsibility to
someone else, particulary an authority figure e. g pps blamed the experimeter for their actions
↳ people allow others to direct their actions
-Autonomous state is when a person direct their own actions so they feel responsible for their actions
· An individual can shift from the autonomous state to an agentic state this is called agentic shift
↳ only occurs if an authority figure is present
· To Maintain positive self Image, one may shift to the agentic state hence putting the responsibility onto the
authority figure therefore the person doesn’feel guilty about their actions -no longer reflects on our own self image
When in the agentic state, the Individual is kept in a binding factor to regulate behaviour due to the fear of
appearing rude by refusing to obey the authority figure’s commands
Legitimacy of authority
-The power of a legitimate authority figure is someone who is believed to be in a position of social Control
↳ Study e. g: In Milgram Study the pps believed the experimenter in the lab coat was the authoritative controlling figure
-people tend to accept definitions of a situation that are provided by an authority figure
↳ e -g pps accepted the experimenter ressurances that no harm was being done to the learner
-For an authority to be percieved as legitimate they must represent a respected Institution
↳ experimenter was in a scientific lab In yale university
What is the agentic state in relation to obedience?
The agentic state is when a person does not see themselves as responsible for their actions but attributes responsibility to someone else, particularly an authority figure, e.g., participants blamed the experimenter for their actions. This shows that people allow others to direct their actions.
What is the autonomous state in relation to obedience?
An autonomous state is when a person directs their own actions and takes responsibility for them. This shows that in this state, individuals maintain control and responsibility for their actions.
What is agentic shift in relation to obedience?
An individual can shift from the autonomous state to the agentic state, and this is called agentic shift. This only occurs if an authority figure is present, meaning the presence of authority influences the individual’s sense of responsibility.
Why do individuals shift to the agentic state?
To maintain a positive self-image, one may shift to the agentic state, thus putting the responsibility on the authority figure, which means they don’t feel guilty about their actions. This demonstrates how people avoid reflecting negatively on their own self-image when obeying authority.
What are binding factors in the agentic state?
When in the agentic state, an individual is kept in a binding factor to regulate their behavior due to the fear of appearing rude by refusing to obey the authority figure’s commands. This explains how the individual feels compelled to follow orders to avoid conflict or disobedience.
What is the legitimacy of authority in relation to obedience?
The legitimacy of authority refers to the power of a legitimate authority figure, someone believed to be in a position of social control. For example, in Milgram’s study, participants believed the experimenter in a lab coat was the authoritative figure in control. This highlights how authority figures are perceived as legitimate due to their position and status.
What is the role of institutions in the legitimacy of authority?
For an authority to be perceived as legitimate, they must represent a respected institution. For instance, in Milgram’s study, the experimenter was in a scientific lab at Yale University, demonstrating how institutional respect can influence the perception of authority.
How is it a weakness of the agentic state explanation that it does not explain real life obedience?
“P: The agentic state explanation does not explain real life Obedience\nE: The researcher studied German doctors and how they changed gradually and irreversibly from caring about their patients to carrying out horrific experiments on prisoners\nE: This shows that it’s not an agentic shift that causes the transition but it’s carrying out these actions over a long time that changed the way doctors thought and behaved
How is it a weakness of the agentic state explanation that there may be other possibilities such as people being plain cruel?
“P: May be other possibilities such as being plain cruel\nE: Zimbardo SPE where within a few days
How is it a weakness of the agentic state explanation that it may serve as a basis for harming others?
“P: Serve as a basis for harming others\nE: Evidence for this is the Abu Ghraib American military men who were told to harm Israelians as they were willing to let authority figures make judgements about what is acceptable conduct
How is it a strength of the legitimacy of authority explanation that there is research support?
“P: Research support\nE: Researchers found that excessive dependence on captain’s authority was a contributory factor in a large proportion of incidents investigated\nE: This provides a real-life demonstration of legitimate authority figures to enforce obedience in those around them
