Legitimacy of authority

The term legitimacy of authority refers to the extent to which an individual is perceived as having the right to give orders and expect obedience. People are more likely to obey those they see as legitimate authority figures because they believe these individuals hold recognised positions of power.

Legitimacy can stem from both the context/setting and the status or appearance of the authority figure. Authority figures are often viewed as more credible when operating in formal or institutional settings, such as universities or government buildings, or when displaying symbols of authority, such as uniforms or professional clothing. These cues signal genuine power and reinforce the expectation to obey.

Supporting evidence for the legitimacy of authority comes from Milgram's research. In his original study at Yale University, a prestigious institution, 65% of participants administered the maximum 450 volts. When the experiment was moved to a less prestigious location in Bridgeport, Connecticut, obedience dropped to 47.5%. This demonstrates that a reduction in the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure or setting decreases obedience. Further support comes from Bickman (1974), who found that people were significantly more likely to obey an individual dressed as a security guard than an individual wearing ordinary clothes when asked to perform simple tasks, such as picking up litter. This finding highlights the power of a uniform in conveying legitimate authority and increasing obedience.

However, legitimacy of authority is unlikely to be the only explanation for obedience. Although people may obey because they see an authority figure as having the right to give orders, dispositional factors may also influence how likely someone is to obey. For example, people with an authoritarian personality tend to be more submissive to authority figures, whereas those with a high internal locus of control are more likely to act independently and resist pressure. This means that obedience may depend not only on the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure, but also on the personality of the person receiving the order. Therefore, legitimacy of authority may explain obedience only in combination with other factors.