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Question 1

Agency Theory as an Explanation for Obedience (P1)

Answer 1

• Based on humans being socialised to obey which may have a survival function
• Milgram stated obedience is necessary for equilibrium and the smooth running of society
• Autonomous state - behaviour is self-directed, take responsibility for their own actions, exercise free will and their own sense of right and wrong (with peers or people we perceive are lower in the social hierarchy)
• Agentic shift - occurs when the individual is given an order by a legitimate authority figure
• Agentic state - become the agent of the legitimate authority figure, act on their behalf, shift responsibility on to the authority figure
• Explains why people carry out destructive acts of obedience

Question 2

Agency Theory: Supporting Evidence (P1)

Answer 2

• Milgram (1963) found that 65% of participants would shock the learner using 450V when given orders from an authority figure and continued when they were told that the experimenter would be responsible for what happened to the learner
• Shows that people will behave in the agentic state when given an order by an authority figure even if it goes against their sense of right and wrong

Question 3

Agency Theory: Alternate Explanation (P1)

Answer 3

• It cannot explain motivational issues behind obedience
• French and Raven (1959) identified 5 bases of power which can influence and encourage people to obey (legitimate, reward, reference, expert and coercive powers)
• People may obey due to the type of power the authority figure has (experimenter had legitimate power in Milgram’s experiment), not due to being in the agentic state