Social Influence: Explanations for Obedience - Legitimacy of authority and Agentic state Flashcards
Why is the authority that authority figures have legitimate?
In the sense that is agreed by society
Give an example of an authority figure
parent, teacher, police officers
What is ingrained in us from an early age?
To obey authority figures
How does legitimacy of authority affect obedience?
Obedience increases
What happens to obedience when a person perceives that an authority figure has legitimate authority?
Obedience increases
According to the LOA explanation of obedience - when are we more likely to obey?
When a person perceives that an authority figure has legitimate authority
What do we accept about an authority figure that makes them legitimate?
Their credentials
What do we believe about an authority figure that makes them legitimate?
They know what they are doing
Why do we obey authority figures from a young age?
It is ingrained in us - even when we believe the order may be unethical or unjust
What is meant by the agentic state?
A state where an individual believes they are acting on behalf of an authority figure
What do we call the state in which we believe we are responsible for our own actions?
Autonomous state
What is meant by an autonomous state?
A state where we take personal responsibility for our actions
What do we call the process of moving from an autonomous state to an agentic state?
Agentic shift
What is the agentic shift?
The process of moving from an autonomous state to an agentic state
When does the agentic shift occur?
When someone receives an order from an authority figure
When in the agentic state, what does an individual lose and how do they feel?
Sense of personal responsibility and no longer feel guilty
Why do people no longer feel guilty when they are in the agentic state?
They see themselves as carrying out the wishes of a more knowledgeable authority figure
We are more likely to obey if the authority figure is perceived as… ?
Legitimate
According to the AS explanation of obedience - when are we more likely to obey?
When a person is in an agentic state
What happens to obedience when a person is in an agentic state?
Obedience increases
According to the AS explanation of obedience, what happens when someone receives an order from an authority figure?
Agentic shift occurs
What do we call the state where an individual believes they are acting on behalf of an authority figure?
Agentic state
Milgram’s studies can be used as research to support which explanation of obedience?
Agentic state
How do Milgram’s obedience studies support agentic state as an explanation of obedience?
Once participants no longer believed they were responsible, due to the experimenter taking responsibility, they were more obedient as an agentic shift had occurred.
In Milgram’s obedience studies, when did participants continue to obey and give the electric shocks?
When the experimenter responded ‘I am responsible’ to the participants’ question of ‘Who is responsible if the learner is harmed?’
How does Hofling’s research support legitimacy of authority as an explanation of obedience?
Due to the doctor having more perceived legitimate authority than the nurses, the nurses obeyed
How does Hofling’s research support the agentic state as an explanation of obedience?
The nurses may have felt that the doctors were ultimately responsible as the authority figure, and so they obeyed
What is the practical application that Hofling’s research has led to?
The training of nurses to reduce the likelihood of engaging in blind obedience and so they feel confident to challenge the legitimate authority of the doctor
Hofling’s research has led to practical applications. Why? What principles are the research based on?
That the nurses obeyed because they felt they had to obey the authority figure due to the doctor’s legitimate authority and felt reduced responsibility for their actions of giving the medication
How did the nurses show increased obedience in Hofling’s study?
21 out of the 22 nurses agreed to give the medication even though they knew not to take orders over the phone
Why is the Authoritarian Personality seen as an alternative explanation for obedience?
It argues that obedience is due to internal characteristics RATHER THAN obeying due to perceiving the authority figure as legitimate / losing a sense of personal responsibility
In Milgram’s studies, participants asked the experimenter ‘Who is responsible if the learner is harmed?’
Why does this support agentic state?
Participants obeyed the experimenter when they no longer believed they were responsible for their own actions (they were in an agentic state).
Research to support agentic state as an explanation of obedience was seen in Milgram’s obedience studies. Why? What did Milgram’s participants ask the researcher?
‘Who is responsible if the learner is harmed?’
In Milgram’s studies, participants asked the experimenter ‘Who is responsible if the learner is harmed’? Which explanation of obedience does this support?
Agentic state
AO3: Why did 21 out of 22 nurses agree to give a dangerous dose of medication to patients when given orders from a doctor over the phone?
They perceived the doctor as having more legitimate authority than them and therefore obeyed the order.
Why does Hofling’s research support agentic state as an explanation of obedience?
The nurses may have been in an agentic state and may have felt that the doctor was responsible as the authority figure and so obeyed the order to administer the deadly dose of medication.
In Hofling’s research, the nurses obeyed due to the doctor having more perceived legitimate authority. What does this support?
Legitimacy of authority as an explanation of obedience
Give two reasons why the nurses obeyed the doctor in Hofling’s research
LOA - due to the doctor having more perceived legitimate authority & AS - they may have felt that the doctors were ultimately responsible as the authority figure
In Hofling’s research, the nurses obeyed as they may have felt that the doctors were ultimately responsible as the authority figure. What does this support?
Agentic state as an explanation of obedience
