Obdience: Social Psychological Factors

Question 1

Describe what an agentic state is

Answer 1

Someone who acts in place of another. Therefore take no responsibility of their actions. (‘Agent’)

Question 2

What is an autonomous state?

Answer 2

Opposite to agentic state. Free acting on ones own behaviour.

Question 3

Describe agentic shift

Answer 3

Shifting between agentic state and autonomous state

Question 4

What are binding factors?

Answer 4

Allows a person to ignore/ minimise damaging effects of behaviours

Question 5

What is the legitimacy of authority based on?

Answer 5

Hierarchy structure of society. What society deems how legitimate someone’s authority is, bad as some have the power to punish others.

Question 6

What happens when problems arise in legitimate authority?

Answer 6

Destructive authority eg. Hitler

Question 7

What support is there for the agentic state explanation of obedience? (AO3)

Answer 7

Blass and Schmitt
Showed students a film of milgrams experiment and asked them who is responsible. Students blamed experimenter rather than the teacher. Recognised legitimacy of authority a reason for why the teacher did what they did (binding factors)

Question 8

One limitation of the agentic state explanation for obedience. (AO3)

Answer 8

Limited explanation as agentic shift doesn’t explain why some of milgrams PPS did not obey. Can only account for some situations

Question 9

Support for legitimacy of authority as an explanation of obedience (AO3)

Answer 9

Cross cultural studies: degree to which people are traditionally obedient to authority.
Repeated milgrams experiment in AUS found 16% PPS gave max shock.
Different social hierarchy’s different legitimate authority.