Situational Explanations of Obedience Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is the Agentic State?
A mental state where individuals see themselves as agents of authority, carrying out orders and relinquishing personal responsibility for their actions.
What is the Autonomous State, and how does it differ from the Agentic State?
In the autonomous state, individuals act according to their own values and take personal responsibility, unlike in the agentic state.
What are Binding Factors and their role in obedience?
Strategies like blaming the victim or minimizing harm that reduce moral strain and help individuals remain in the agentic state.
What is meant by Legitimacy of Authority?
Society is structured hierarchically; authority figures are seen as having legitimate power to direct others’ behavior.
What is Destructive Authority?
When authority figures misuse their power, leading to immoral obedience, as seen in events like the Holocaust or My Lai massacre.
What do cultural differences suggest about obedience?
Obedience levels vary across cultures, with more hierarchical societies (e.g., Germany) showing higher obedience than egalitarian ones (e.g., Australia).
What research supports the agentic state explanation?
Milgram’s study showed that participants were more likely to obey when told they wouldn’t be responsible, supporting the role of shifting responsibility.
What real-world events support the agentic state and destructive authority explanations?
Events like the Holocaust and My Lai massacre show how individuals obeyed destructive orders, seeing themselves as mere agents of authority.
How does legitimacy of authority explain cultural differences in obedience?
Research shows higher obedience in cultures with strict hierarchies (e.g., Germany) than in more egalitarian ones, supporting cultural influence on authority perception.
What is a limitation of the agentic state explanation?
It doesn’t explain all obedience; some individuals obey without moral strain, and dispositional factors may also influence obedience.
