social-psychological explanations for obedience

• agentic state: person doesn't see themselves as responsible for their actions but blames someone else, usually an authority figure. may shift from autonomous state -> agentic state. this is to maintain a positive self image, doesn't feel guilty for their actions. kept in by binding factors.
• AO3 agentic - doesn't explain real life application. Lifton argues Milgrams claim that people move back and forth from states doesn't explain behaviour of german doctors from Auschwitz. Doctors changed gradually from concerned with welfare of patients into doing horrific experiments on prisoners.
• AO3 agentic - may be used to justify cruel behaviour. Zimbado found the guards acted cruelly without being asked to.
• legitimacy of authority: describes how credible the figure of authority is. People more likely to obey them if credible in terms of being morally right and legitimate. In Milgram's study, people saw the experimenter as legitimate as they knew he was a scientist therefore knowledgeable and responsible. He held the highest position within the social hierachy of experimental scenario.
• AO3 legitimacy: supporting evidence for importance of obedience to legitimate authority in a study of aviation accidents. Tarrow - found excessive dependence on captains authority was a contributing factor in a large proportion of accidents investigated.
• AO3 legitimacy: can account for some acts of destructive obedience. If people are willing to let authority figures make judgements about what is acceptable conduct, they no longer feel their own moral values are relevant to how they behave.