When a person recognises their own and others' position in a social hierarchy, leading to recognition of the authority figure's right to issue a demand
Legitimacy of authority
Increased by visible symbols of authority e.g. uniform
Should occur within some kind of institutional setting or system e.g. the military
Legitimacy of authority
Bickman found that people were twice as likely to obey someone in a security guard's uniform as someone not wearing one (jacket + tie) because the uniform gave them legitimacy of authority
Location
Affected legitimacy of authority - the scientific laboratory meant that more people obeyed than in run-down office blocks which reduced the legitimacy of authority that the experimenter had
Milgram found that location affected legitimacy of authority
For authority to be legitimate it should occur within some kind of institutional setting or system
Legitimacy is increased by visible symbols of authority e.g. uniform
