Agency Theory

• What are the key terms associated with Agency Theory?

  Autonomous, agentic, authority, moral strain, situational hypothesis
• Agency Theory was developed by the American psychologist Stanley Milgram
• Milgram's ideas were a response to the trial of Adolf Eichmann for Nazi war crimes.
• What dispositional explanation did Milgram reject for Nazi war crimes?

  Brutal German national character
• Steps in the agentic shift according to Agency Theory

  1️⃣ Autonomous state

  2️⃣ Perception of authority figure

  3️⃣ Agentic shift

  4️⃣ Agentic state
• In the autonomous state, individuals perceive themselves as responsible for their own behavior
• In the agentic state, individuals feel guilt for their actions.

  False
• What triggers the agentic shift in Agency Theory?

  Order from authority
• Moral strain occurs when an authority figure's order goes against an individual's conscience
• Moral strain can manifest as physical distress like shaking or weeping.
• What defense mechanisms did Milgram's participants use to reduce moral strain?

  Denial, avoidance, involvement, helping
• Going into the agentic state removes moral strain because the authority figure becomes responsible for actions
• What evolutionary explanation does Milgram provide for the agentic shift?

  Obedience as survival trait
• Society could not function without obedience, according to Milgram's Agency Theory.
• Milgram argues that obedience is strengthened by conditioning, where reward is given for respect and punishment for disobedience
• What two explanations does Milgram combine to explain the agentic shift?

  Evolution and conditioning
• Match the Milgram study variation with its finding:

  Variation #5 ↔️ Learner with heart condition, obedience high

  Variation #10 ↔️ Run-down office, obedience drops to 47.5%
• Burger (2009) replicated Milgram's study and found similar levels of obedience.
• What personality type did Milgram and Elms (1966) link to obedience?

  Authoritarian personality
• The authoritarian personality was identified by Theodor Adorno
• A need to be in control of one's behavior is associated with disobedience to authority.
• In what real-world event did Milgram apply Agency Theory?

  The Holocaust
• Cross-cultural variations of Milgram's study suggest that obedience to authority may be influenced by culture
• American obedience levels are generally higher than non-American levels in variations of Milgram's study.

  False
• What type of institutions are crucial for challenging authority figures and preventing genocide?

  Democratic institutions
• Milgram's research supports the idea that situational factors influence obedience
• Dispositional factors like empathy or gender have a significant impact on obedience levels.

  False
• What psychological theory does Agency Theory contrast with regarding moral strain?

  Social Impact Theory
• Milgram's research suffers from a lack of ecological validity
• What is one of the distinctive features of Agency Theory that is missing from Social Impact Theory?

  Moral strain
• Moral strain in Milgram's studies was shown by participants who disobeyed the authority figure.

  False
• In Milgram's research, the artificial and unusual nature of the supporting research might count against the theory's validity
• What did Meeus & Raaijmakers replicate in their study instead of shocks?

  Insults
• Social Impact Theory regards individuals as passive, similar to Agency Theory.
• Social Impact Theory ignores the importance of moral strain.
• Who proposed the concept of the "Authoritarian Personality" to explain obedience?

  Theodor Adorno
• The Authoritarian Personality is threatened by people who are different and enjoys following rules.
• How can the idea of the Agentic Shift reduce prejudice and discrimination?

  Encouraging tolerance
• Celebrities and sporting heroes often visit schools to encourage tolerance and equality.
• What is one of the reasons for public outcry when a celebrity behaves in a sexist way?

  They influence fans