Legitimacy of authority

Question 1

Legitimacy of authority

Answer 1

Most societies are structured in a hierarchical way, meaning certain people have authority over others. One of the consequences is that it grants people the power to punish others. We learn to accept of legitimacy authority from childhood from parents initially and then teachers and adults.

Question 2

Destructive authority

Answer 2

Problem arises when legitimate authority become destructive. Ordering people to behave in cruel and danagerous ways. Eg the experimenter used prods to order ppt to have in ways that went against their conscience.

Question 3

eva list

Answer 3

explain cultural differences

cant explain all obedience

Question 4

Explain cultural differences.

Answer 4

One strength is that it is a useful account of cultural differences in obedience. Many studies show the difference in the degree to which people are obedient to authority. This suggests in some cultures is it more likely to be accepted as legitimate and entitled to demand obedience from individuals. This reflects the ways that different societies are structured and how children are raised to perceive authority figures.

Question 5

Cant explain all obedience

Answer 5

One limitation is that legitimacy cant explains instances of disobedience in a hierarchy where the legitimacy of authority is clear and accepted. A significant minority of Milgram’s ppt disobeyed. This suggests that some people may just be more or less obedient than others. It is possible that innate tendencies to bey or disobey have a greater influence on behaviour than the legitimacy of an authority figure.