A03

• strength- RWA

  • such as my lai massacres when thousands of American soldiers pillaged through Vietnamese cities causing death to many civilians
  • This can be explained by agentic state- believed they were acting on behalf of general+the generals had high legitimacy due to their position in the social hierarchy, increasing validity of both theories
  • However, excusing terrible behaviour with these explanations can be seen as reducing the idea an individual has free will and their own choices, not in line with the judicial system.
• limitation- both not scientifically and objectively measured

  • cannot be operationalised, eg whether someone in agentic state relies on self report or observations, both subject to bias.
  • eg excuse their behaviour as individual may state acting in agentic state to be percieved better- SDB
  • Therefore, there is not scientific, empirical evidence and these theories do not meet 5 features of science, lacking scientific rigour.
• contradictory research- rank and jacobson

  • Rank and Jacobson had nurses in a psychiatric hospital be told by a known doctor to administer an overdose of drug they were familiar with, only 2/18 obeyed.
  • Therefore, no responsibility was shifted onto the doctor and despite doctor having legitimate authority did not carry out harmful overdose. Therefore, this reduces reliability and validity of these explanations
  • suggests personality type- if an individual has a good moral understanding can still disobey to unjust acts even if asked to by a legitimate authority figure