Explanations for obedience

Question 1

What is the autonomous state

Answer 1

To be independent i.e. when an individual has control and acts according to their own principles. They see themselves as personally responsible for their actions.

Question 2

What is the Agentic state

Answer 2

The individual sees themselves as acting as an ‘agent’ for the authority figure and therefore does not feel personally responsible – they become deindividuated. The individual shifts the responsibility for the consequences of the action to the authority figure – there is a ‘diffusion of responsibility’. The shift from autonomy to agency is called the agentic shift

Question 3

Give an example of Agentic state

Answer 3

Adolf Eichmann (the Nazi responsible for the extermination of millions during WW2) saw himself as in the ‘agentic state’.

He stated that he was ‘only following orders’ of a higher-ranked authority and so was not responsible for the genocide.

Question 3

what was the agentic state in Milgram’s study

Answer 3

In Milgram’s study, the close proximity of the confederate experimenter to the teacher meant that the participants entered an ‘agentic state’. In moments where the participant asked who was responsible if anything would happen to the learner, the experimenter answered ‘I am responsible.’

Question 4

When the study was moved to a run-down office block (location) what was the obedience % / what was the reason for this

Answer 4

47.5%
Lack of prestigious surroundings led ppts to question the legitimacy of the experiment

Question 4

When the teacher and learner were in the same room (proximity) what was the obedience % / what was the reason for this

Answer 4

40%
The buffer was removed. Ppts became more aware of the consequences of their actions

Question 4

When the teacher had to force the learner’s hand on the shock plate (proximity) what was the obedience % / what was the reason for this

Answer 4

30%
Ppts felt more personally responsible for their actions, operating at a more autonomous level

Question 4

When the experimenter left the room and gave instructions over the telephone (proximity) what was the obedience % / what was the reason for this

Answer 4

20.5%
The decreased proximity of the experimenter reduced his authority

Question 5

When the teacher paired with an assistant (confederate) who threw the switches (social support) what was the obedience % / what was the reason for this

Answer 5

92.5%
Diffusion of responsibility as ppts felt less personally responsible

Question 6

what research is there into the agentic state

Answer 6

Milgram (1974) - in a ‘remote authority’ variation, the confederate researcher wasn’t in the same room as the teacher, but gave orders over the telephone.

Question 7

In the ‘remote authority’ variation what did obedience decline too

Answer 7

In this variation, obedience declined from 62.5% to 20.5%.

Question 8

what did the qualitative data find in Milgram’s study

Answer 8

Qualitative data: Milgram (1963) reported that many participants were under moral strain - during debriefing they admitted that they knew what they were doing was wrong, but they continued to obey.

Question 9

what is the legitimate authority figure

Answer 9

A person who is perceived to be in a position of social control within a situation.

Question 10

what does the legitimate authority figure mean for individuals

Answer 10

Obedient individuals accept the power and status of authority figures to give orders; they are seen as being in charge and we respect their credentials. This is something that is agreed by society due to its hierarchical structure.

Question 11

From an early age, people experience examples of social roles relating to master-servant relationships, for example:

Answer 11

Police officer-civilian
Parent-child
Teacher-student

Question 12

what are the three factors that affect how legitimate the authority figure is perceived

Answer 12

Location
Uniform
Proximity

Question 13

How does the location affect the how the legitimate authority figure is perceived

Answer 13

The location of an environment is proportional to the amount of perceived legitimate authority a person giving orders is seen to have
In locations that add to the perceived legitimacy of an authority figure i.e. institutionalised settings (e.g. universities, schools, military), obedience rates will be higher.

Question 14

How does wearing a uniform affect the how the legitimate authority figure is perceived

Answer 14

Uniforms convey power and authority, which can become symbolised in the uniform itself.
They can give a perception of added legitimacy to authority figures when delivering orders.
In Milgram’s experiment the confederate experimenter wore a grey lab coat to give him such an air of authority.