Agentic state and legitimacy of authority

• Agenting state

  Individuals act as though they don't have responsibility for their actions, because they feel they are acting as an agent for an authority figure
• Autonomous state


  Individuals act as though they are free from control
• In the agenting state

  Individuals may do actions they personally morally oppose, because they can't resist the demands of the authority figure
• Legitimacy of authority


  • Individuals make decisions about someone's legitimacy to be an authority over them, based on the social hierarchy
  • Individuals feel a sense of duty to obey those higher in the social hierarchy
• Socialization process


  Individuals are taught ideas about authority and obedience from a young age, e.g. parent-child, teacher-student relationships
• Authority system


  • Some people are seen as having the right to harm or punish others, e.g. police, criminal justice system
  • This authority system is generally seen as legitimate and necessary for society to function
• Milgram's study


  • Demonstrated the power of authority figures and the agenting state
  • Over 1/3 of participants resisted the authority figure and refused to deliver the shocks
• Participants in Milgram's study

  Often felt they weren't in control of their actions, and would continue due to the experimenter taking responsibility
• Blastn Smith's study


  • People tended to place responsibility for the shocks on the experimenter, not the participant actually delivering them
• Eichmann's claims during his trial

  He claimed he was just following orders, which could be explained by the agenting state
• This raises the question of whether Nazis should be absolved of war crimes if they were in the agenting state, or if they are still responsible for their actions