Explanations of obedience

• Legitimacy of authority


  Individuals being perceived as having the 'right' to tell others how to behave within a given situation
• Legitimacy of authority


  • Increased when visible symbols of authority, such as uniform, location, and proximity, are present
  • Learnt through socialisation processes in relationships like the parent and child
• Agentic state


  A situational explanation of obedience which suggests that individuals relinquish their personal autonomy and moral sense of right and wrong, to submit to obedience
• In the agentic state, people may believe that they are simply carrying out orders and are not fully accountable for their actions
• The agentic state can contribute to their willingness to obey even when it goes against their own personal beliefs or values