Milgram proposed that obedience to destructive authority occurs because a person doesn't take responsibility. Instead, they believe they are acting for someone else (as an agent). An agent experiences high anxiety - moral strain - when they realise what they're doing is wrong but feel powerless to disobey.
Autonomous state
A person in an autonomous state is free to behave according to their own values, opinions and beliefs and feel a sense of responsibility for their actions.
The transition from autonomy to agency is called agentic shift. This occurs when a person perceives someone else as the authority figure; they have greater power due to their higher position in a social hierarchy.
Binding factors
Aspects of a situation that allow the person to ignore or minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour and thus reduce moral strain they are feeling - binding factors. Milgram proposed strategies that the individual uses such as:
