Situational explanations - AO1

Question 1

What is agentic state?

Answer 1

The mental state we have when we feel no personal responsibility for our behaviour, because we believe we are acting as an authority figure’s agent
* This does not make them unfeeling - an agent with experience high moral strain when they realise what they are doing is wrong, but they feel they do not have the power to disobey

opposite = autonomous

Question 2

What is agentic state?

Answer 2

The shift from autonomy to agency

Question 3

Why does agentic shift occur?

Answer 3

Milgram suggested that the agentic shift occur when a person percieves someone else as being an authority figure.
This is dependent on the position of authority the person has in a social hierarchy

Question 4

What are binding factors?

Answer 4

Any aspects that tie a person into an obedient situation, which can help someone ignore or minimise the stress of moral strain
e.g fear of judgement
Once they stop they give into the fact that everything they have done up to this point is wrong

Question 5

What are blame shifting strategies?

Answer 5

They are to help cope with their moral strain and to further justify their own actions

Question 6

What is legitimacy of authority?

Answer 6

Suggests we are more likely to obey people who we percieve to have authority over us
* This authority is justified by the individual’ position of power within a social hierarchy

Question 7

How is legitimacy of authority is increased?

Answer 7

By the visual symbols of authority (uniform) and status of the setting the authority figure is in (location)