Social psychological explanations for obedience

• Outline one aspect of social psychological explanations for obedience including states

  Agentic state

  • if someone is told to do something they act 'on behalf' of somebody else
  • diffusion of responsibility
  • they no longer feel responsible
  • they hold the person who told them what to do responsible
  • transitioning into agency
  • Milgram - 'i'm not to blame'

  Autonomous state

  • to act independently/freely, to hold responsibility for yourself
• Outline another aspect of social psychological explanations for obedience including agentic shift and binding factors


  The shift from autonomy to agency is called the agentic shift

  • occurs when an individual perceives someone else as a figure of authority due to social hierarchy

  Individuals stay in the agentic state due to binding factors

  • aspects of a situation that allow the person to ignore or minimise the damaging effects of their behaviour to reduce moral strain
  • e.g. the wall in Milgrams study
• Social psychological explanations for obedience A03: reductionist -


  Reductionist

  • didn't explain why some people didn't obey
  • why didn't they follow the social hierarchy
  • agentic shift can only account for some of obedience
  • Hofling
• Social psychological explanations for obedience A03: obedience alibi's -


  Mandel (1998) described the German Reserve Police Battalion 101

  • ordered to shoot civilians in Poland
  • not direct orders
  • could've been assigned to other duties if they asked
• Social psychological explanations for obedience: legitimacy of authority


  Legitimacy of authority

  • likely to obey those above us in social hierarchy
  • e.g. parents, teachers, police officers
  • product of socialisation
  • from childhood we are raised to accept the social hierarchy
  • destructive authority
  • too charismatic and powerful leaders e.g. Hitler can use their legitimate powers for destructive purposes
  • Milgram
  • experimenter
  • verbal prods
• Social psychological explanations for obedience A03: Blass and Scmidt +


  Blass and Schmidt (2001)

  • showed a film of Milgrams research to students and asked them who they felt was responsible
  • blamed experimenter not the teacher
  • due to legitimate authority (social hierarchy) and expert authority (scientist)
  • recognised legitimate authority as the cause
• Social psychological explanations for obedience A03: cultural differences -


  Milgram style replications

  Kilham and Mann (1974)

  • Australia
  • only 16% obedience

  Mantell (1971)

  • Germany
  • 85% obedience
  • increases validity