Explanations for obedience

• define agentic state

  This is when a person believes that someone else will take responsibility for their own actions
• what is an agent? 


  someone who acts for or in place of another. they experience moral strain when they realise what they're doing is wrong but feel powerless to disobey
• define autonomous state

  free to behave according to their own principles and feels a sense of responsibility for their own actions.
• define agentic shift

  The shift from autonomy to agency 
• when does the agentic shift occur?


  when a person perceives someone else as an authority figure.
• define binding factors 


  aspects of the situation that allow the person to ignore or minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour and thus reduce the ‘moral strain’ they are feeling.
• define legitimacy of authority 


  An explanation for obedience which suggests that we are more likely to obey people who we perceive to have authority over us. This authority is justified (legitimate) by the individual's position of power within social hierarchy  
• What is one consequence of the legitimacy of authority?

  Some people are granted the power to punish others.
• Why do we agree to give up some of our independence?

  We trust people to exercise their authority appropriately.
• Who do we learn acceptance of legitimate authority from in childhood?

  Parents, teachers, and adults generally.
• What is destructive authority?

  • Problems arise when legitimate authority becomes destructive.
  • Charismatic leaders can misuse their powers.
  • Historical examples include Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot.
• How was destructive authority demonstrated in Milgram's study?

  The Experimenter used prods to order participants against their consciences.
• What does Milgram's study support regarding obedience?

  It supports the role of the agentic state in obedience.
• What did participants often do during Milgram's study when they resisted giving shocks?

  They asked the Experimenter questions about the procedure.
• What question did participants ask regarding responsibility in Milgram's study?

  “Who is responsible if Mr. Wallace is harmed?”
• What was the Experimenter's response to the question about responsibility?

  “I’m responsible.”
• What does the agentic shift suggest about participants' behavior in Milgram's study?

  They acted more easily as the Experimenter’s agent when they felt less responsible.
• What is a limitation of the agentic shift in explaining obedience?

  • It does not explain all research findings about obedience.
  • Example: Rank and Jacobson’s study with nurses.
  • Many nurses disobeyed despite the doctor's authority.
• What incident did David Mandel describe regarding German Reserve Police Battalion 101?

  They shot civilians in Poland without direct orders.
• What does the legitimacy explanation account for in terms of cultural differences in obedience?

  • Different countries show varying degrees of obedience.
  • Example: 16% of Australian women obeyed in a Milgram-style study.
  • Example: 85% of German participants obeyed in a similar study.
• What is a limitation of the legitimacy explanation regarding disobedience?

  • It cannot explain disobedience in clear authority hierarchies.
  • Example: Nurses in Rank and Jacobson’s study.
  • Some Milgram participants disobeyed despite recognizing authority.
• What does the difference in obedience rates between Australian and German participants suggest?

  Authority is perceived as more legitimate in some cultures.
• What might influence obedience more than the legitimacy of an authority figure?

  Innate tendencies to obey or disobey.
• define obedience 


  a form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order. The person issuing the order is usually an authority figure, who has the power to punish when obedient behavior is not forthcoming.  
• What did Milgram conduct after his first study on obedience?

  He carried out a large number of variations.
• What situational variable did Milgram explore in his variations?

  Proximity, location, and uniform.
• How did the obedience rate change when the Teacher and Learner were in the same room?

  It dropped from 65% to 40%.
• What was the obedience rate in the touch proximity variation?

  Obedience dropped to 30%.
• What happened in the remote instruction variation of Milgram's study?

  The Experimenter left the room and gave instructions by telephone.
• What was the obedience rate when the Experimenter gave orders by phone?

  Obedience reduced to 20.5%.
• Why does decreased proximity affect obedience?

  It allows people to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions.
• What was the obedience rate in Milgram's baseline study at Yale?

  65% fully obedient participants.
• How did changing the location to a run-down office affect obedience?

  Obedience fell to 47.5%.
• What effect did the prestigious university environment have on obedience?

  It gave the study legitimacy and authority, increasing obedience.
• What was the obedience rate when the Experimenter was replaced by a member of the public?

  Obedience dropped to 20%.
• Why do uniforms encourage obedience?

  They are widely recognized symbols of authority.
• What were the findings of Bickman's field experiment in New York City regarding uniforms and obedience?

  • Participants obeyed the security guard's requests twice as often as those of the assistant in a jacket and tie.
  • This supports the influence of situational variables on obedience.
• What did the study by Wim Meeus and Quintin Raaijmakers (1986) find regarding obedience in Dutch participants?

  90% of participants obeyed orders to say stressful things in an interview.
• What did the replications of Milgram's research suggest about the applicability of his findings across cultures?

  Milgram's findings are valid across cultures, including women.
• What limitation did Peter Smith and Michael Bond (1998) identify regarding cross-cultural replications of Milgram's research?

  Only two replications occurred in culturally different countries from the US.