Agentic state and legitimacy of authority Flashcards
What is the agentic state?
A person sees themselves as an agent for carrying out another person’s wishes.
How is an agentic state produced?
Agentic Shift - change from autonomous state to agentic. Stop believing they will suffer consequences of their actions.
What is agency theory?
People more likely to obey when in agentic state - do not believe they will suffer consequences of their actions
Why do people adopt the agentic state?
Maintain positive self-image. Action is no longer their responsibility, no longer reflects their self-image. ‘Guilt free’.
What is a legitimate authority?
A person who is perceived to be in a position of social control in a situation.
How does a legitimate authority influence obedience?
More likely to obey (agentic shift) if authority figure is morally credible and legitimate.
What is required for an authority to be legitimate?
An institution. Milgram showed it doesn’t have to be reputable (run-down condition). Category of institution more important - is it appropriate?
(AO3) What is contradictory evidence against agentic state and legitimacy of authority?
Zimbardo’s SPE. Participants inflicted increasingly cruel acts on prisoners despite having no authority figure. Other explanations needed… situational. OR Milgram may have allowed sadistic impulses to show.
(AO3) What is a weakness of the agentic state and legitimate authority in practice?
Prevents individual from facing consequences for their actions. May justify harming others. Does not account for free will. Court of law - holds people accountable - theory must accept individual differences & personality types.
(AO3) What is an issue with using Milgram’s study to base this explanation off?
Lacked mundane realism. Very unrealistic tasks, never seen in real life. May explain obedience in extreme scenarios, but not in day-to-day obedient scenarios. Lacks external validity.
(AO3) How can the agentic state and legitimacy of authority be used to explain a situation in real life?
My Lai Massacres by American soldiers pillaging in Vietnamese villages. Agentic state: following orders of generals - shifted responsibility to them. Legitimacy of authority: high position within US Army’s social hierarchy ranks. Suggests both theories are valid.
