Social: Agency Theory Flashcards
Who created Agency theory?
Milgram
What was Milgram’s aim?
To understand why German soldiers followed orders to kill millions during the holocaust.
What was the sample of Milgram’s experiment?
40 men, age 20-50
New Haven USA
What was Milgram’s baseline study’s sampling technique?
Volunteer sample, newspaper ad ($4.50)
What was the procedure of Milgram’s baseline study?
Introduced to 2 men (confederate and Mr Williams) given roles (teacher and learner)
Learner was strapped into a chair and teacher saw a test shock of 45V
They were shown the control room with 30 switched from 15 to 450V and asked to increase voltage each time the learner answered a question wrong.
Given prompts to continue.
What were Milgram’s baseline study prompts?
- Please continue
- please go on
- Experiment requires you to continue
- You don’t have any other choice, go on.
What were the findings of Milgram’s baseline study?
65% went to 450V
100% went to 300V
Conclusion= people are obedient to authority figures to an extent.
Evaluate G of Milgram’s baseline study
- Volunteer sample means they are more likely to be obedient as they are volunteering to be there.
- 40 is a large sample but anomalies can still skew results
- all men = not generalisable to women
Evaluate R of Milgram’s baseline study
+ It has been replicated and similar results have been found. e.g: Burger 2009
+Milgram filmed procedure so it can be analysed and qualitative data can be received
Evaluate A of Milgram’s baseline study
+ Used in pilot training. Training co pilots to question pilot in charges orders (reduce 20% of plain crashes)
Evaluate V of Milgram’s baseline study
- Ecological Validity is low as the task is artificial (however so is concentration camps to Nazi germany)
- Gina Perry also claimed ppts may have worked out the experiment was fake.
Evaluate E of Milgram’s baseline study
- No informed consent as they were told it was a memory test (deception)
- prods mean they didn’t have the right to withdraw
Define obedience
Following a direct order from an authority figure
Define autonomous state
A state of mind where an individual acts with free will and they are more likely to defy orders and take responsibility
Define agentic state?
A mindset which means we follow orders and are more likely to not take responsibility and blame negative consequences on them.
Define the agentic shift
The switch between autonomous and agentic that occurs when we perceive someone to be a legitimate source of authority.
What is moral strain
Showing anxiousness or nerves when a persons actions conflict with their personal morality
What is the supporting evidence of Agency theory?
Milgram’s baseline study (1963)
100% went to 300V
65% went to 450V
= when told by legitimate authority people will obey orders
What is the opposing evidence of agency theory?
Agentic shift isn’t inevitable
- Rank and Jacobsen
16/18 nurses failed to obey orders to give a lethal dose of Valium to a patient despite being told by a doctor (authoritarian)
The nurses considered themselves responsable and maintained in the autonomous state
=DECREASES CREDIBILITY
What is the Application of agency theory?
Collateral damage
Military strategies to ensure soldiers follow orders (collateral damage term allows soldier to dehumanise life loss and stay in the agentic state)
What was Milgram’s experiment 10?
Rundown office block
Which experiment was Milgram’s run down office block?
10
Which of Milgram’s experiment was telephonic instructions?
7
What was Milgram’s #7 experiment?
Telephonic instructions
What was Milgram’s experiment #13
Ordinary man
What number was Milgram’s ordinary man?
13
What is a strength of Milgram’s variations?
Increased validity of Milgram’s original conclusion.
By testing whether other factors would affect obedience he increased the credibility of his results.
What was a disadvantage of Milgram’s variations?
Lack of internal validity- many participants worked out the procedure was fake even milgram agreed that the experiment was entirely artificial
Milgram’s variations only apply to western culture that are more individualistic.
What were the results of variation 7?
22.5%
Participants lied about the shock they were administering.
Describe the procedure of variation 7.
Experimenter gave instructions in person then left the room. If participants wanted to withdraw then prods would be administered over the phone.
What were the results of variation 10?
45.5% shocked to 450V
Participants showed more doubt
What were the results of variation 13?
20% shocked to 450V
Describe the procedure of variation 13.
The experimenter in a lab coat explains the procedure but does not tell them to increase shocks for each incorrect answer and is called away.
An additional confederate teacher then suggests to increase voltage each time.
