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Updated Mar 25, 2026

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Factors Influencing Obedience: Social and Psychological Perspectives

Amy Breen

@amybreen_ikkr

Ever wondered why ordinary people sometimes follow orders that go... Show more

Bass and schmitt- people blamed the
experimenter in milgrams study

Its supported by historical events that
demonstrate that social pressure

Understanding Obedience: Agentic State and Authority

Think about times when you've followed instructions without question - this happens because of how our minds handle authority. The agentic state occurs when we stop taking personal responsibility for our actions and instead see ourselves as agents carrying out someone else's orders.

In our normal autonomous state, we make our own decisions and accept the consequences. However, the agentic shift happens when we encounter an authority figure - suddenly, we pass responsibility onto them rather than ourselves. This explains why participants in Milgram's famous obedience experiments often blamed the experimenter rather than themselves.

The legitimacy of authority works alongside this. We're naturally programmed to obey people who hold legitimate power within social hierarchies - teachers, police officers, military commanders. This becomes dangerous when leaders use their legitimate powers for destructive authority, as history tragically demonstrates.

Key Insight: Research shows that people are more likely to accept authority as legitimate in certain cultures, which explains why obedience varies across different societies.

Evaluation points show these theories have strong research support from historical events like the Mai Lai massacre, where soldiers followed orders due to their agentic state. However, these explanations can't account for why some people disobey authority or the role personality plays in obedience - showing they're useful but limited theories.

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Updated Mar 25, 2026

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1 page

Factors Influencing Obedience: Social and Psychological Perspectives

Amy Breen

@amybreen_ikkr

Ever wondered why ordinary people sometimes follow orders that go against their moral beliefs? Two key psychological concepts - the agentic state and legitimacy of authority- help explain why people obey authority figures even when it leads to harmful... Show more

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Understanding Obedience: Agentic State and Authority

Key Insight: Research shows that people are more likely to accept authority as legitimate in certain cultures, which explains why obedience varies across different societies.