in what 2 ways did Milgram say humans have evolved?
autonomous state and agentic state
what is the autmonous state?
where we direct our own behaviour and take responsibility for its consequences
what is the agentic state?
when we allow someone else to direct our own behaviour, passing responsibility to them.
This agentic shift is caused by the presence of a legitimate authority figure.
supporting evidence of agency theory
Hofling's nurse participants recognised the legitimate authority of the doctor and were in the agentic state
Some people are more likely to obey orders because of their personality regardless of the situation. This is a dispositional explanation of obedience called 'the authoritarian personality'.
The theory cannot explain why some people do not obey in circumstances where there is a legitimate authority figure. For example, 35% of participants in Milgram's study disobeyed the experimenter.
