(a) Outline two explanations for obedience. [6 marks]

(b) Briefly evaluate one of the explanations that you have outlined in your answer. [3 marks]

Answer:

(a) One explanation for obedience is the agentic state theory. 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 and may not experience guilt. The opposite of this is the autonomous state, in which individuals act according to their own principles and take full responsibility for their behaviour. The movement from autonomy to agency is known as the agentic shift.

Another explanation for obedience is the dispositional explanation, the authoritarian personality.

According to Adorno et al. (1950), this personality type develops during early childhood as a result of strict and 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 from authority figures.

(b) One limitation of the authoritarian personality explanation is that it overlooks situational factors. For example, Milgram found that when the authority figure was in closer proximity to the participant, levels of obedience increased. This suggests that obedience is influenced by the situation, not just a dispositional personality type.