Obediance

Question 1

What is obedience

Answer 1

Form of social control where an individual follows orders from authority figure. The individual wouldn’t act this way without the authority’s instruction

Question 2

Social influence

Answer 2

Efforts (intentional/unintentional) to change another person’s behaviour

Question 3

Conformity

Answer 3

Changing one’s behaviour to fit in or align with the actions or expectations of others

Question 4

What is the purpose of Milgrams agency theory 1973

Answer 4

To explain high levels of obedience observed in Milgrams exp

Question 5

What are three key ideas of Milgrams theory of obedience
(Hint: 1. Hierarchical, evolutionary, innate)

Answer 5

1. Hierarchical society: few leaders directing behaviour of majority. Ensures social order and survival
2. Evolutionary Perspective: survival value, natural selection favours those who fit into social hierarchies.
3. Innate preparedness for obedience: humans born with predisposition to obey authority, reinforces through socialisation (rewards for obedience in childhood)

Question 6

What are the 2 states of behaviour

Answer 6

1. autonomous state: acting based on free will and personal responsibility
2. Agents state: acting as an agent of authority, relinquishing personal responsibility and following orders

Question 7

What is moral strain

Answer 7

Conflict between obeying authority and personal morals cause anxiety
Shifting to the agentic state relieves this strain by transferring responsibility to the authority figure

Question 8

What is the agentic state

Answer 8

Individuals act as agents of authority, following orders without personal responsibility. Eg. Soldiers in war following orders even if harmful

Question 9

What is autonomous state

Answer 9

Individuals act based on free will and take responsibility for their actions

Question 10

Strength of agency theory

Answer 10

> milgrams study: 65% of participants obeyed authority to administer harmful shocks
Hofling’s study: 95% of nurses obeyed a doctors orders to administer lethal dose of medicine
variation study: when the experiment was not conducted at Yale- changed location- obedience decreased as the authority of experimenter was undermined. Obedience= 47.5%

Question 11

What is social impact theory

Answer 11

Explains how individuals are influenced by social forces- particularly in situations involving obedience, conformity, or persuasion.

Question 12

What are the three factors affecting social impact theory

Answer 12

1. STRENGTH: perceived power, authority, legitimacy of source of influence, more powerful or knowledgeable the authority figure- greater the social impact
2. IMMEDIACY: closeness of authority figure in terms of physical or psychological proximity (closer-greater)
3. NUMBER: number of ppl exerting