why you would obey Flashcards
what acronym do we use to remember why we would obey?
LADS Buzz of Footbal
what are the 6 reasons why we would obey someone?
legitimate authority agentic state disposition social roles buffers foot-in-the-door
what is legitimate authority?
they believe that the experimenter had power and they were obliged to do what he said. We are seen as more acceptable if we obey those who have authority. We may obey authority figures because we trust them and because they have the power to punish us.
what is agentic state?
In social situations people operate in 2 different ways;
- as autonomous individuals who are responsible for their own actions
- as an agent of someone else. They carry out orders and do not feel responsible for their actions.
what is disposition?
some people are more obedient than others.
people who had been bought up by strict parents who used harsh, physical punishments grew up to be very obedient.
These children developed a authoritarian personality who have extreme respect for authority and feel hostility to those of lower rank.
what is social roles?
those in social roles demand some level of obedience to certain authority figures. Even if they don’t agree, they have obeyed nonetheless because of the disapproval they may have had to face if they refuse
what are buffers?
describe any aspect of a situation that protects the participant. Buffers act as a mechanism to help people reduce the strain of acting in an immoral way and therefore increase obedience. The consequences of the action aren’t seen via a buffer e.g. wall.
what is foot-in-the-door also known as?
gradual commitment
what is foot-in-the-door?
Once people comply with a seemingly reasonable request they find it more difficult to refuse to carry on. This could be described as a desire to seem consistent. It is hard to stop once you start.
EVALUATION
monocasual emphasis, explain
Mandal claims that by focusing solely on obedience as an explanation for the atrocities of the holocaust it ignores other plausible explanations such as anti-antisemitism. So obedience cant be the only reason
EVALUATION
Agentic shift
When compared to the holocaust, Milgram’s study lasted half an hour whereas the holocaust lasted years and years. Those in Milgram’s study were subjected to constant pressure from the experimenter during that time. Milgram believed the agentic shift was at work in both situations.
EVALUATION
The consequences of an obedience alibi
Mandel believes that the use of an “obedience alibi” to explain events such as the holocaust has a number of negative consequences
1-the conclusion that obedience has a key role in the holocaust is unjustified given an analysis of the historical record.
2-the idea that perpetrators were just “obeying orders” is distressing for those affected
3-it exonerates war criminals
EVALUATION
Real world application
Milgram’s research identified key conditions for suspending human morality.
Abu Ghraib- gradual escalation of violence which was an important determining factor of Milgram’s study. Milgram said it was much easier giving 485 volts when already given 450 volts
