-Milgram also proposedsocial-psychological explanations for the obedience levels found in his experiments.
-looked at agentic state + legtimate authority
Outline autonomous state and agentic shift
-Individuals in an ‘autonomous state’ are free to behave according to their own principles and therefore feels a sense of responsibility for their actions.
-When given an order by an authority figure, we shift from an autonomous state to an agentic state. This is called the agentic shift.
Define agentic state
-A mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure i.e., as their agent.
-This frees us from the demands of our conscience and allows us to obey even a destructive authority figure.
-Agents experience ‘moral strain’ but feel powerless to disobey.
What might keep someone in agentic state
-Binding factors: Aspects of the situation that allow the person to ignore or minimise the damaging effect of the behaviour and the moral strain they experience.
Outline legitimacy of authority
-Due to society’s hierarchal structure, certain people are able to hold authority over the rest of us in a way that is agreed by society e.g., the police.
-Society accepts that authority figures can exercise power over us and as such they are granted the power to punish others.
What is destructive authority
-However, there are problems with allowing people such authority. In some cases, these individuals can abuse this power and give cruel, callous orders.
