Situational explanations (obedience)

• What is the term used to describe the state where a person does not take responsibility for their actions and believes they are acting for someone else?

  Agentic state
• What sparked Stanley Milgram's interest in obedience?


  The trial of Adolf Eichmann for war crimes
• What was Eichmann's defense during his trial?


  He claimed he was only obeying orders
• How does Milgram define an 'agent'?


  An agent is someone who acts for or in place of another
• What emotional experience do agents feel when they realize their actions are wrong?


  High anxiety (moral strain)
• What is the opposite of being in an agentic state?


  Autonomous state
• What does autonomy mean in the context of Milgram's theory?


  To be independent or free
• What is the agentic shift?


  The transition from autonomy to agency when perceiving an authority figure
• What role does an authority figure play in the agentic shift?


  They are perceived as having greater power due to their higher position in a social hierarchy
• What are binding factors in Milgram's study?


  Aspects of the situation that allow a person to ignore or minimize the damaging effects of their behavior
• What strategies do individuals use to cope with moral strain according to Milgram?


  Shifting responsibility to the victim or denying the damage done
• What is the legitimacy of authority?


  It refers to the accepted social power held by individuals in certain positions
• Why do people generally accept the authority of figures like parents and teachers?


  Because it allows society to function smoothly
• What is a consequence of the legitimacy of authority?


  Some people are granted the power to punish others
• How do we learn to accept legitimate authority?


  From childhood, initially from parents and then from teachers and adults
• What happens when legitimate authority becomes destructive?


  Charismatic leaders can use their power for cruel and dangerous purposes
• How was destructive authority demonstrated in Milgram's study?


  The Experimenter used prods to order participants to act against their consciences
• What are the strengths and limitations of Milgram's research on obedience?


  Strengths:

  • Provides insight into the agentic state
  • Supported by research findings

  
  

  Limitations:

  • Limited explanation for all obedience scenarios
  • Cannot account for disobedience in clear authority structures
• What did Milgram's participants question during the shock experiments?


  Who is responsible for the harm caused?
• What did the Experimenter tell participants to ease their moral strain?


  That he was responsible for the harm caused
• What does the study by Rank and Jacobson (1977) illustrate about obedience?


  Some nurses disobeyed orders from a doctor despite the authority figure's presence
• How does the behavior of German Police Battalion 101 challenge the agentic state explanation?


  They acted autonomously without direct orders to commit murder
• What cultural differences in obedience were highlighted by Kilham and Mann (1974) and Mantell (1971)?


  Different countries show varying degrees of obedience to authority
• What did Kilham and Mann find regarding Australian participants in a Milgram-style study?


  Only 26% went all the way to 450 volts
• What did Mantell find regarding German participants in a Milgram-style study?


  85% went all the way to 450 volts
• What does the legitimacy of authority reflect in different societies?


  How children are raised to perceive authority figures
• What limitation does the legitimacy of authority explanation have regarding disobedience?


  It cannot explain disobedience in a clear authority structure
• What does the study by Rank and Jacobson reveal about obedience in a hierarchical structure?


  Some individuals may be more disobedient despite clear authority
• What is suggested about innate tendencies in relation to obedience?


  They may have a greater influence on behavior than the legitimacy of authority
• What did the psychologist in the study mentioned do with the students regarding authority figures?


  He produced a study to understand their attitudes towards authority
• What was the outcome of the study involving 200 students regarding authority?


  It found that students had varying attitudes towards obedience
• What is the significance of the findings from Milgram's studies on obedience?


  They highlight the complexities of human behavior in response to authority
• What does the term 'obedience alibi' refer to in the context of Milgram's research?


  It refers to the justification of harmful actions by claiming obedience to authority
• How does Milgram's research contribute to our understanding of obedience?


  It provides evidence of the psychological mechanisms behind obedience to authority
• What is a key takeaway from the evaluation of Milgram's research?


  It reveals both strengths and limitations in understanding obedience
• Participants were told they were taking part in a memory experiment where they had to administer electric shocks to another participant who made mistakes during learning tasks.