Situational

• What is this explanation ?

  • people obey due to the situation
• What are the two explanations ?

  1. Agency theory
  2. legitimacy of authority
• What is agency theory ?


  people don’t take responsibility as they believe they are acting as an agent for an authoritative figure
• What are the two states of agency theory ?

  1. agentic
  2. autonomous
• What is agentic state ?

  • individual believes they do not have responsibility for their behaviour because they are acting as an agent to an authoritative figure
• What does a genetic state allow ?

  • individuals to complete acts they morally disagree with
  • free us from demands
  • feel powerless to disobey
• What is an autonomous state ?

  • when an individual is ok their own + feel in control of their actions + responsible
• What is an agentinlc shift ?

  • shift from an autonomy to agency when in the presence of someone they perceive to be of a higher authority
• What are binding factors ?

  • aspects of a situation that allow a person to ignore/minimalise the effect of their behaviour + reduce any moral strain
• How did Mildred show binding factors ?

  • Think they helping the experiment - benefit society
  • remind them it’s authority in control
  • learner made the mistake so it’s their fault
• Evaluation of agency theory ?

  1. Research support -miorgan
  2. research support- holfing et al
  3. doesn’t explain why not everyone obeyed
• How did migrant support agency theory ?

  • act as an agent for experimenter
  • when experimwntor left + gave instructions over the phone
  • went to autonomous state but didn’t obey
• What did holding et al do ?

  • nurse gave double dose even though not allowed as order from the doctor 21/22 did
• What is legitimacy or authority ?


  more likely to obey people who have a higher authority over us

  • authority is justified by position of power in the social hierarchy
  • authority is legitimate as controlled by society
• What happens in legitimacy of authority ?

  • hang over control of power to someone who had more authority over us + will exercise their authority properly
  • learn in childhood by parents then teachers
• What makes someone legitimate ?

  • uniform
  • job title
  • experience
  • age
  • location
• What is destructive authority ?


  hitler -

  • problems arise when legitimate authority becomes destructive
  • people legitimate power to be cruel
• Evaluation of legitimacy of authority ?

  1. Milgram research support
  2. doesn’t explain why all didn’t obey
  3. challenge with dispositional
  4. practical application
• How milgram support ?

  • experimenter used his power to make teacher give shock - destructive authority
  • uniform - regular xlothes
  • location - moved from Yale to offices
• Practical apications ?


  school uniform

  police uniform