Obedience: Agency Theory Flashcards
What is the autonomous state?
We are free to choose how to behave.
We take responsibility for the consequences of our actions.
When does the agentic shift happen?
When we are confronted with a legitimate authority figure.
We quickly judge whether another person is higher or lower than us in the social hierarchy.
What happens in the agentic state?
We become the ‘agent’ of the authority figure - we believe we are acting on their behalf and so the responsibility for our actions lies with them.
Describe moral strain
Experienced only in the agentic state.
These are symptoms of anxiety that develop especially when obeying orders that result in harm.
What is a strength of agency theory?
The theory is supported by Milgram’s (1963) study.
100% of participants administered a shock of 300v.
65% of participants went up to 450v, beyond the switch labelled danger, extreme shock.
This shows that people will carry out orders of an authority figure despite high levels of moral strain.
Who gave a counter argument for the supporting research of Milgram?
Gina Perry (2012)
She claims that Milgram’s participants saw through the deception. She reports that many participants questioned whether the shocks were real.
Who claimed that the agentic shift does not appear to be inevitable?
Rank & Jacobson (1997) - Nurse Study
They found that 16 out of 18 nurses disobeyed a doctor who ordered them to administer an overdose of Valium.
This study shows that the nurses did consider themselves responsible for their actions despite the agentic shift.
How can agency theory be applied to the real world?
It can be applied to a variety of military strategies.
E.g. using dehumanising language to refer to the enemy.
By doing this it minimises moral strain and allows the authority figure to ensure the soldiers remain in the agentic state even when ordered to commit barbaric acts.
