Social Impact Theory + Agency Theory

Question 1

what are the three social forces that cause obedience?

Answer 1

• perceived strength of the authority figure
• immediacy of the authority figure
• number of authority figure

Question 2

what does the psychosocial law suggest?

Answer 2

obedience increases with each authority figure, however the amount of people obeying decreases.

Question 3

what is the multiplicative effect?

Answer 3

• strength x immediacy x number

- more factors included the more obedient the individual will be

Question 4

what is the divisional effect?

Answer 4

• the authority figures strength is divided out by the amount of targets
• the more targets, the less obedience

Question 5

how does milgram’s variation 13 support this theory?

Answer 5

• ordinary man (strength)

- obedience went from 65% to 20%

Question 6

how does milgram’s variation 10 support this theory?

Answer 6

• run down office (strength)

- obedience went from 65% to 48%

Question 7

how does milgram’s variation 7 support this theory?

Answer 7

• telephone instructions (immediacy)

- obedience went from 65% to 22.5%

Question 8

why is SIT more holistic?

Answer 8

• considers situational factors: strength, immediacy, and number
• inc. credibility

Question 9

how is SIT useful?

Answer 9

• increase police number of police to increase obedience

Question 10

what does SIT ignore?

Answer 10

• individual differences (why some people obey more than others)
• e.g. personality - authoritarian personalities are more obedient

Question 11

what did mullen find were not consistent in their effects?

Answer 11

strength and immediacy

Question 12

what is the issue with using a formula [i = f(SIN)]?

Answer 12

deterministic to reduce a complicated human behaviour like obedience to a formula to explain all situations

Question 13

what is the autonomous state?

Answer 13

perceive ourselves as responsible for our behaviour

Question 14

what is the agentic state?

Answer 14

obey the authority figure and believe they’re responsible for your actions

Question 15

what is the agentic shift?

Answer 15

the movement from the autonomous state to the agentic state due to an order from an authority figure

Question 16

what is moral strain?

Answer 16

the feeling of guilt for going against your conscious, of which is relieved by placing responsibility on the authority figure