Obedience Flashcards
What is Milgram’s Agency Theory?
People obey authority by shifting responsibility onto them, acting as “agents” of the authority figure.
Define “agentic shift.”
Agentic shift is when people transfer responsibility for their actions to an authority figure, justifying obedience.
What is coercive power?
Coercive power involves using threats or punishment to enforce compliance.
Describe “legitimate power.”
Legitimate power is authority granted by a recognized role, like a police officer or manager.
What is a strength of Agency Theory?
It’s supported by Milgram’s study, where 65% of participants followed orders to the highest shock level.
What is a criticism of Agency Theory?
It overlooks personality differences, suggesting it’s not a complete explanation for obedience.
Explain “reward power.”
Reward power involves using positive incentives to gain compliance.
Give one strength of Social Power Theory.
It explains real-world obedience, such as soldiers following orders in the Holocaust due to perceived authority.
What is one weakness of Social Power Theory?
Coercive power requires constant monitoring, limiting its use in all group settings.
How does Social Power Theory differ from Agency Theory?
Social Power Theory is based on different power types (coercive, reward, etc.), while Agency Theory focuses on an agentic state of obedience.
Define “expert power” with an example.
Expert power comes from specialized knowledge; for example, a doctor’s expertise in medicine.
How does Agency Theory explain a nurse following incorrect orders?
The nurse may enter an agentic state, seeing themselves as following the doctor’s orders, not acting independently.
What is referent power?
Referent power is influence based on admiration or respect, like a popular influencer’s impact on followers.
How does Social Power Theory explain crowd behavior in conflict?
Through deindividualisation, where people lose self-identity and follow crowd influences, often driven by coercive power.
Give one strength and one weakness of Social Power Theory.
Strength: It explains obedience in structured settings; Weakness: Needs direct oversight for coercive power to be effective.
