Obedience: Situational Explanations Flashcards
(14 cards)
What are Milgrams explanations of obedience for situational variables
-Agentic State
-Legitimacy of authority
What is meant by the agentic state
A mental state where a person sees themselves as an agent carrying out someone else’s orders, so they don’t feel personally responsible for their actions.
How does the agentic state explain obedience ?
People shift from acting independently (autonomous state) to obeying authority (agentic state),believing someone else is in charge.
What evidence supports the Agentic State explanation in Milgrams study
-In Milgram’s study, participants obeyed because they believed that the experimenter was responsible for the learners welfare
-Despite showing obvious signs of discomfort E.G nervous laughter,hesitation, they continued to deliver electric shocks to the learner. One participant asked ‘who is responsible for him if something happens to him?’ And obeyed after being told ‘I am responsible’
-This suggests they may have enetered an agentic state, viewing themselves as agents carrying out another’s orders, aether than acting front their free will.
What is the meaning of Legitimacy of Authority
The belief an authority figure is legitimate, trustworthy and has the right to give orders
How does Legitimacy of authority explain obedience
We’re socialised to obey authority figures, especially those linked to respected institutions like schools or government. This is shown in the social hierarchy.
What evidence from Milgram’s study supports Legitimacy of Authority ?
-Milgram found higher obedience at Yale Univeristy than in a rundown office, showing people trusted Yale’s authority.
What is the key idea behind Legitimacy fo Authority
Obedience increases when authority figures are viewed a moral right and socially accepted.
Evaluation of situational explanations of obedience
-Research support for the agentic state
-Research support for LOA
-Legitimacy of authority explains cross cultural differences
-Real world application to war crimes
-Limited explanation (doesnt explain all obedience)
What is the key idea behind the agentic state
Obedience increases when people feel less personally responsible
Why is the agentic state a limited explanation
-Ignores individual differences that may explain obedience
-E.G in Milgram’s study a significant minority of participants (around 35%) refused to go to the maximum voltage.
-Adorno suggested that some individuals are more likely to obey authority figures due to their personality traits. People with an authoritarian personality, typically shaped by strict upbringing and respect for authority, are more disposed to follow orders regardless of the situation.
How does Adorno criticise the agentic state
Adorno suggested that some individuals are more likely to obey authority figures due to their personality traits. People with an authoritarian personality, typically shaped by strict upbringing and respect for authority, are more disposed to follow orders regardless of the situation.
Cross cultural differences in obedience that supports Milgram’s LOA explanation
-E.G Kilham and Mann (1974)- found much lower levels of obedience (16%) in Australia compared to Mantell’s (1971) finding of 85% obedience in Germany when using Milgram style procedures
-These differences can be explained by can be explained by varying cultural attitudes towards authority—in some cultures, authority figures are seen as more legitimate and are expected to be obeyed without question
-This shows that LOA can account for variation in obedience across different social and cultural contexts
Real world applications of LOA
-LOA is supported by real world applications E.G war crimes.
-E.G helps explain historical events like the Nazi Holocaust, where many individuals involved in atrocities claimed they were merely “following orders” from higher authority figures (Nazi leaders or military commanders)
-Also during events like the Vietnam War-where soldiers often followed orders to kill hundreds of unarmed soldiers.
-These can be understood through the concept of LOA within the military hierarchy- soldiers are trained to obey commands without questions especially from high ranking officers.
-These example increase the credibility and relevance of LOA beyond lab setting
