Milgrams agency theory (THIS ONE)

Question 1

1st paragraph

Answer 1

Milgram’s agency theory explains obedience in terms of the power of others and social factors. Milgram states that there are two states a person can be in, Agentic state and Autonomous State. A person in an Agentic state will follow orders with no sense of personal responsibility whereas a person in an autonomous state makes their own free choices and feels responsible for their own actions. If a person see someone else as an authority figure, an Agentic shift will occur. this is when a person changes from an Autonomous state to an Agentic state.

Question 2

2nd paragraph

Answer 2

Milgram’s theory shows that societies have a hierarchy with some people having more authority than others. This hierarchy is agreed on by all members of the society and the culture that we live in socialises us to respect the social hierarchy. Milgram’s theory also states that proximity affects how obedient a person is. In
Milgram’s further studies, if the teacher was physically closer to the learner, the teacher was less obedient.

Question 3

Strength

Answer 3

One strength of Milgram’s agency theory is that there is research support. Glass and Schmitt showed a film of Milgram’s study and they said that the ‘experimenter’ was responsible for harm to the learner rather than the ‘teacher’. Therefore the students recognized the legitimate authority of the experimenter as the cause of obedience.

Question 4

Weaknesses

Answer 4

One weakness of Milgram’s theory is that it can’t explain why there isn’t 100% obedience. In Milgram’s study, 35% of the participants didnt go up to the maximum schlock of 450 volts. This means that social factors cannot fully explain obedience.

Another weakness is that agency theory gives people an excuse for ‘blind’ obedience. Nazis who were racist and prejudiced were doing more than just folllowing orders. This means that agency theory is potentially dangerous as it excuses people.