Explanations for Obedience

This section explores Social Influence and  Explanations for Obedience in Psychology. Obedience is a type of social influence where individuals follow direct commands from an authority figure. Psychologists have identified several explanations for why people obey, focusing on the agentic state, legitimacy of authority, and dispositional factors like the Authoritarian Personality. Milgram’s famous experiments provide key insights into situational factors influencing obedience, including proximity, location, and uniform.

Explanations for Obedience

Agentic State and Legitimacy of Authority

Agentic State

Definition: The agentic state is a psychological state in which individuals see themselves as agents carrying out the instructions of an authority figure rather than acting on their own responsibility. In this state, people often feel less personal accountability for their actions, as they attribute responsibility to the authority.

Mechanism: In the agentic state, individuals experience a shift from an autonomous state (where they feel responsible for their own actions) to an agentic state, where they perceive their actions as extensions of the authority figure’s orders.

Example: In Milgram’s experiments, participants administered increasingly severe electric shocks to a “learner” because they saw themselves as merely following orders, despite feeling distressed.

Key Concept: Moral Strain – This occurs when an individual obeys orders that conflict with their personal values or morals. Even though they might experience discomfort or moral tension, they continue to obey, justifying their actions as being beyond their control.

Legitimacy of Authority

Definition: The legitimacy of authority theory proposes that people are more likely to obey commands when they perceive the authority figure as legitimate and holding a socially recognised position of power.

Mechanism: Society grants power to certain figures (e.g., police officers, teachers, doctors) due to their role or status. Individuals tend to trust these figures and believe they have the right to direct others’ behaviour, often leading to obedience.

Example: In Milgram’s study, the experimenter’s authority as a scientist within a respected institution (Yale University) made participants more likely to comply, as they trusted the legitimacy of his role.

Implications: This concept explains how people obey commands in hierarchical structures, even when the orders are unethical, as they assume the authority is knowledgeable and morally justified.

Situational Variables Affecting Obedience (Milgram’s Study)

Milgram’s series of obedience experiments in the 1960s provided a profound look into the impact of situational variables on obedience. His research demonstrated that people could be influenced to obey harmful commands under certain conditions. Key situational variables included proximity, location, and uniform.

Proximity

Description: Proximity refers to the physical closeness of the authority figure to the participant or of the participant to the victim.

Findings in Milgram’s Study:

Proximity of the Authority Figure: When the experimenter was in the same room, obedience rates were high, as the authority figure’s presence exerted pressure on the participant.

Proximity to the Victim: When the learner was in the same room as the participant, obedience dropped significantly because the participant could see the learner’s pain, increasing empathy and moral strain.

Remote Instructions: When the experimenter gave instructions over the phone, obedience levels dropped further. This reduction in physical presence diminished the authority’s influence.

Conclusion: Proximity affects obedience by influencing the perceived control and immediacy of authority, as well as increasing the individual’s empathy toward the victim.

Location

Description: Location relates to the setting in which the command is given and the perceived status associated with that setting.

Findings in Milgram’s Study:

Original Location: Milgram’s original study was conducted at Yale University, a prestigious institution, which likely boosted participants’ perception of the experimenter’s legitimacy and credibility, leading to higher obedience.

Alternative Location: When Milgram moved the study to a run-down office building, obedience rates dropped. This less prestigious setting weakened the authority figure’s legitimacy, making participants less willing to comply with harmful orders.

Conclusion: A location associated with authority and professionalism increases obedience, while less authoritative settings diminish obedience as the perceived legitimacy of the authority is reduced.

Uniform

Description: Uniforms often symbolise authority, and people tend to associate uniforms with specific roles, granting those who wear them a higher perceived legitimacy.

Supporting Research: In a separate study by Bickman (1974), people were more likely to obey commands given by someone dressed in a security guard’s uniform than by someone in ordinary clothes, suggesting that uniforms increase the likelihood of obedience.

Application to Milgram: While Milgram’s study didn’t directly manipulate uniforms, his use of lab coats for experimenters indirectly supported this concept, as the lab coat symbolised scientific authority and increased the experimenter’s perceived legitimacy.

Conclusion: Uniforms act as powerful symbols of authority, increasing the likelihood of obedience due to their association with legitimate roles.

Dispositional Explanation for Obedience: The Authoritarian Personality

While situational factors are crucial in understanding obedience, dispositional (personality) factors also play a role. One key dispositional explanation is the Authoritarian Personality.

The Authoritarian Personality (Adorno et al., 1950)

Definition: The Authoritarian Personality is a personality type characterised by a strict adherence to conventional values, submission to authority figures, and hostility towards those perceived as inferior or ‘different’.

Origins: Adorno and colleagues developed the F-scale (Fascism Scale) to measure authoritarian tendencies in individuals. They proposed that people with an authoritarian personality are more likely to obey authority figures and show prejudice towards out-groups.

Formation: It is believed that this personality type originates in childhood, often as a result of strict, highly disciplined parenting. Children who are raised with high expectations and punitive control may internalise obedience and develop authoritarian traits.

Characteristics:

High respect for authority: Individuals with an authoritarian personality tend to uncritically follow orders from authority figures.

Rigid thinking: They often see the world in black-and-white terms, are conformist, and favour rules and order.

Aggression towards out-groups: Those with this personality may hold prejudiced views and display hostility towards those they consider ‘inferior’.

Research Support and Limitations

Supporting Evidence: Milgram found that participants who scored high on the F-scale were more likely to obey authority in his experiments, suggesting a correlation between authoritarian personality and obedience.

Criticisms:

Correlation, not causation: Although there is a correlation between authoritarian personality and obedience, it’s difficult to establish a direct causal relationship.

Reductionist: The authoritarian personality does not fully account for why people obey, as it overlooks situational influences. For example, Milgram’s participants obeyed at high rates despite differences in personality.

Cultural and Temporal Bias: Adorno’s research was conducted in a specific cultural and historical context (post-World War II America), which may limit the generalisability of the findings to other cultures or periods.

Summary

Explanations for Obedience:

Agentic State: Individuals feel they are acting on behalf of an authority figure and feel less responsible for their actions.

Legitimacy of Authority: Obedience increases when the authority figure is perceived as legitimate and holds a recognised social position.

Situational Variables:

Proximity: Physical closeness of the authority figure or the victim affects obedience.

Location: Prestigious settings increase perceived legitimacy and obedience.

Uniform: Uniforms symbolise authority and increase obedience.

Dispositional Explanation:

Authoritarian Personality: A personality type characterised by high respect for authority and hostility towards out-groups, associated with higher obedience levels.

Milgram’s research and the concept of the Authoritarian Personality demonstrate that obedience is influenced by a complex interplay of situational and dispositional factors. Understanding these can provide insight into both historical events involving obedience to harmful authority and everyday obedience in institutional settings.