Obedience

Question 1

What is the agentic state?

Answer 1

When a person sees themselves as an agent for carrying out another person’s wishes. They feel no personal responsibility for their behaviour.

Question 2

What is an agentic shift?

Answer 2

The process of moving from an autonomous state where a person sees themselves as responsible for their own actions to an agentic state.

Question 3

What are binding factors?

Answer 3

External factors that influence people to remain in an agentic state because they don’t want to deal with the hassle of overcoming the situation

Question 4

What is a legitimate authority?

Answer 4

A person who is perceived to be a position of social control/authority within a situation (e.g. police officers, parents, teachers etc.)

Question 5

Why are people more likely to obey those of legitimate authority?

Answer 5

Because they have a defined social role which people respect

Question 6

Which study supports legitimacy of authority?

Answer 6

Bickman (1974)

Question 7

What type of study was Bickman’s study?

Answer 7

Field

Question 8

What did researchers ask passers-by to do in Bickman’s study?

Answer 8

Pick up a piece of litter

Question 9

What three outfits did the researchers wear in Bickman’s study?

Answer 9

Guards uniform, milk man’s uniform or just in smart clothes

Question 10

Which person were people much more likely to obey in Bickman’s study and why?

Answer 10

The person in the guard’s uniform because he seemed to be the most legitimate authority figure