Obedience Social And Psychological Factors

Question 1

Agentic state

Answer 1

• attribute responsibility onto authority
• shift from autonomous state ‘responsible for own actions’ to agentic state ‘seen as agent for carrying out another persons wishes’

Question 2

Self image & agentic state

Answer 2

• need to maintain positive image therefore shift blame
• assesses consequence of self image
• concern of action no longer relevant as action not their responsibility
• following order in agentic state is guilt free however inhumane

Question 3

Binding factors

Answer 3

• fear of breaking social etiquette and seeming arrogant and rude
• they have committed to action and being arrogant is not taken lightly
• keeps individuals in agentic state

Question 4

Legitimacy of authority

Answer 4

• First condition when moving into agentic state is perception of legitimate authority and their social power and control
• need to recognise and accept
• experimenter in experiment fills role of person in charge
• authority needs institutions to back up authroity (uni milgram)