1.1.1 Agency Theory

• What is the definition of obedience in social psychology?

  Complying with authority orders
• Agency Theory suggests individuals operate in either an agentic or autonomous state.
• In the agentic state, individuals see themselves as agents carrying out others' orders.
• What do individuals in the autonomous state take full responsibility for?

  Their own actions
• The transition between agentic and autonomous states is called the agentic shift.
• Steps of the agentic shift process

  1️⃣ Perceive someone as an authority

  2️⃣ Shift from autonomous to agentic state

  3️⃣ Follow orders and shift responsibility
• In which state do individuals follow orders and shift responsibility to authority?

  Agentic state
• Individuals in the autonomous state act independently and take full responsibility for their actions.
• Match the state with its characteristic and responsibility:

  Agentic ↔️ Follows orders, shifts responsibility

  Autonomous ↔️ Acts independently, takes responsibility
• What do individuals in the agentic state believe they are carrying out orders for?

  Authority figure
• In the autonomous state, individuals take full responsibility for their own actions.
• The agentic shift is triggered by perceiving someone as an authority figure.
• Match the state with its characteristic and responsibility:

  Agentic ↔️ Follows orders, shifts responsibility

  Autonomous ↔️ Acts independently, takes responsibility
• What type of responsibility do individuals in the agentic state shift to the authority figure?

  Full responsibility
• In the autonomous state, individuals act independently and take full responsibility for their actions.
• Students may follow a teacher's instructions to cheat on a test in an agentic state, shifting responsibility to the teacher.
• What are the two contrasting states in Agency Theory?

  Agentic and autonomous
• In the agentic state, individuals shift responsibility to the authority figure.
• In the agentic state, authority figures are necessary for individuals to act.
• What type of state occurs when individuals see themselves as agents carrying out orders?

  Agentic state
• The agentic state is characterized by following orders without taking full responsibility.
• The agentic state involves shifting responsibility to the authority figure.
• In which state do individuals believe they are not responsible for their actions if instructed by authority?

  Agentic state
• In the autonomous state, individuals take full responsibility for their actions.
• Match the state with its characteristic and responsibility:

  Agentic ↔️ Follows orders, shifts responsibility

  Autonomous ↔️ Acts independently, takes responsibility
• What is the name for the shift from autonomous to agentic state?

  Agentic shift
• In the autonomous state, authority figures are not necessary.
• In the agentic state, individuals perceive authority figures as necessary and shift responsibility to them.
• What triggers the agentic shift in Agency Theory?

  Perceiving authority
• Match the state with its characteristic and responsibility:

  Agentic ↔️ Follows orders, shifts responsibility

  Autonomous ↔️ Acts independently, takes responsibility
• The shift from an autonomous state to an agentic state occurs through the agentic shift.
• What triggers the shift from an autonomous to an agentic state?

  Authority figure
• In the agentic state, individuals take full responsibility for their actions.

  False
• In the agentic state, individuals shift responsibility to the authority figure, viewing themselves as agents of their orders.
• What role do individuals in the autonomous state play regarding responsibility?

  Take full responsibility
• The agentic shift is a gradual process that takes weeks to complete.

  False
• The agentic state is characterized by following orders from an authority without taking full responsibility for one's actions.
• Give an example of a scenario where students are in an agentic state.

  Cheating if instructed
• In the autonomous state, individuals shift responsibility to others.

  False
• In the autonomous state, individuals act independently and take full responsibility for their actions.