Obedience Flashcards
What is obedience?
A form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order.
– The person issuing the order usually is a person of AUTHORITY who has the POWER to punish when obedient behaviour is not forthcoming .
What are the two explanations for obedience?
Agentic state
Legitimacy of authority
What is the agentic state?
They see themselves as ‘ AGENTS ‘ executing the wishes of an authority rather than acting on their own morals / beliefs.
-They feel LESS PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for their actions, which can lead to higher levels of obedience.
What is the agentic shift?
An individual moves from an autonomous state where they see themselves responsible for their actions to an agentic state. ( no guilt)
What is legitimacy of authority?
This explanation suggests people are more likely to an obey commands individuals they perceive as legitimate authoritative figures.
– When authority is seen as justified, individuals are more inclined to follow orders (due to the FEAR of punishment).
What is obedience alibi?
The view that the situation a person finds themselves and is mainly responsible for their obedience.
What is the authoritarian personality and how is it also an explanation for obedience?
- A psychological profile identified by the ADORNO and colleagues characterised by a STRONG SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY.
-these individuals are MORE likely to submit/obey to authority figures and conform to societal norms.
-They value order and control (and also hold prejudice views towards outcast groups.)
-they have RIGID THINKING.
What is limitation of authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience?
It does not explain group obedience
What was the aim of Milgram study?
Test blind obedience
– authority figures and the effect on obedience
What was the procedure of milligram study ?
– 40 50-year-old males selected. All ranging in jobs for example doctors, teachers et cetera.
– Milgram put our adverts in a new newspaper for volunteers to participate in a study about memory.
– That would be one teacher (participant) and one learner (confederates)
– the participant would be ordered to give an electric shock to the learner every time the learner would answer incorrectly. The voltage would range from 15 to 450V.
– The participant and confederate would be in different rooms.
– at 150 votes confederates would protest to leave – if the part is been wanted to stop, professionals would give verbal prods such as ‘it is essential you must continue’ , You must go on you have no other choice.’
What were the findings?
When each factor ( SITUATIONAL VARIABLE) changed, obedience levels…
Location – decreased from 65% to 47.5%.
Proximity ( between p and c )– decreased from 65% to 40%.
Physical force – decreased 30%.
Uniform – decreased to 20%
What are some strengths/evaluation points for Milgrams study?
– It is a controlled/ lab experiment so controlled extraneous variables, therefore we can establish a cause and affect relationship.
-it has temporary validity as supporting research shows that results of reliable.
-it is not limited as it has cross cultural references.
What are some weaknesses of milligram study?
– Breaks ethical guidelines e.g. the right to withdraw, informed consent
- it is not generalisable as it uses all males so lacks gender agreement.
-It lacks ecological validity as it is not a real world, natural experiment so LACKS MUNDANE REALISM.
What is some evidence supporting milligram study?
P- one strength of Milgrams study is that it has supporting research.
E- BICKMAN (1974) investigated obedience on the street of New York.
– when experimenter was dressed well in a suit, obedience levels were higher as strangers accepted a coin given by them.
– compared to an experimental was dressed in normal clothing obedience levels were lower.
L- this shows that different uniforms have different levels of obedience associated with them e.g. milk man vs guard. THEREFORE INCREASING THE INTERNAL VALIDITY OF THE RESEARCH.
What cross cultural references does Milgram study have?
-it was replicated with participants who are not all white, American males.
– Miranda at al (1981) found obedience levels were high amongst SPANISH students.
