Explain one or more reasons why people obey authority. [6 marks]

Answer: One reason people obey is because they are in an agentic state. An agentic state is when an individual acts on behalf of an authority figure. In this state, the individual feels little or no personal responsibility for their actions. The opposite of this is the autonomous state, in which individuals act according to their own principles. The movement from autonomy to agency is known as the agentic shift. When individuals can shift responsibility for their actions onto someone else, their level of obedience increases.

Another reason why people obey is due to having an authoritarian personality. According to Adorno et al. (1950), this personality type develops in early childhood due to strict, harsh parenting. Such upbringing creates feelings of resentment and hostility that are displaced onto those perceived as weaker or inferior. People with an authoritarian personality tend to be respectful and obedient towards authority figures, making them more likely to follow orders.