obedience

• What is the definition of obedience?


  when someone acts in response to a direct order from an authority figure even if they disagree privately
• What is the difference between conformity and obedience?


  • Obedience = orders are directly from a higher status figure
  • Compliance = group pressure
  • Obedience = Explicit demands
  • Compliance = Implicit or explicit pressure
• Why can Adolf Eichmann be used as an anecdote for obedience?


  While on trial for his part in the Holocaust, Eichmann claimed he was merely carrying out his duties and disagreed with what he was told to do
• How does proximity affect obedience?


  Further away from consequences = increased obedience
• How does location affect obedience?


  Authoritative location = increased obedience
• How does uniform affect obedience?


  Professional uniform = increased obedience
• What is the definition of agency theory?


  obeying the orders of an authority figure and acting on behalf of them due to the removal of responsibility

  • responsibility may still experience moral strain
  • agentic shift = change from autonomous state
• What is the definition of an autonomous state?


  state of independence where people take full responsibility for their actions
• What are some examples of binding factors?


  • Money
  • Status
  • Verbal prods
• What is the definition of legitimacy of authority?


  acceptance or recognition of authority by individuals or groups as valid and rightful
• What are the psychological factors that affect obedience?


  • Agentic state
  • Legitimacy of authority
  • Authoritarian personality
• What is the definition of an authoritarian personality?


  personality type which has an extreme respect for authority and is more likely to be obedient to those who hold power over them
• What is the 'F-scale'?


  authoritarian personality scale - Adorno
• What are the conclusions of an authoritarian personality?


  • need for strong/uncompromising power
  • often learn through imitation of parental figures who are rigid/aggressive
  • categorize and stereotype
  • prejudice - projection (displacement) onto minority groups
• What is the definition of scapegoating?


  tendency to blame someone else for personal problems

  • leads to prejudice
  • opportunity to preserve self-image
• Outline Elms&Milgrams research


  Follow up study looked into the obedient participants where they completed the MPI scale (measure of personality type) and were asked questions about their relationships with authoritative figures in their lives such as parents and their attitude toward the experimenter during Milgram's experiment. Higher levels of authoritarianism in obedient participants who showed a weakened relationship with their father figures