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9
2
Hannah
31/08/2025
Psychology
Social-Psychological factors to Obedience A-Level
402
•
31 Aug 2025
•
Easy Social-Psychological Factors of Obedience for A-Level
Hannah
@hannah558
Evaluation of Agentic State and Legitimacy of Authority
Research supports the concepts of agentic state and legitimacy of authority psychology a level AQA. Blass and Schmitt (2001) conducted a study showing students a film of Milgram's experiment, finding that participants blamed the experimenter rather than the subject. This indicates that responsibility was attributed to legitimate authority.
Example: In the Blass and Schmitt study, students recognized legitimate authority as the cause of obedience, supporting the explanation of the agentic state.
However, there are limitations to the agentic state explanation. It doesn't fully explain why some participants in Milgram's study did not obey, despite the presence of authority. Additionally, it fails to account for findings in other studies, such as Hofling et al., where nurses did not show expected levels of anxiety when following a doctor's orders.
Highlight: The agentic state theory has limitations in explaining varied obedience behaviors across different experimental settings.
Legitimacy of authority a level Psychology provides a useful account of cultural differences in obedience. Cross-cultural studies have shown that countries differ in the degree to which people are traditionally obedient to authority.
Example: Kilham and Mann (1974) replicated Milgram's procedure in Australia and found only 16% of participants went to the top of the voltage scale, compared to 85% in Mantell's (1971) German study.
These findings reflect how different societies are structured and how children are raised to perceive authority. The supportive evidence from cross-cultural research increases the validity of the explanation.
Highlight: Cultural differences in obedience highlight the importance of societal structure and upbringing in shaping attitudes towards authority.
Real-Life Applications and Further Considerations
The concepts of agentic state and legitimacy of authority have real-world implications, particularly in understanding war crimes and atrocities. However, research suggests that not all such events can be fully explained by these theories alone.
Example: Mandel (1998) described an incident involving German Reserve Police Battalion 101, where men obeyed orders to shoot civilians in Poland despite not having direct orders to do so.
This example challenges the simplistic view of obedience to authority and suggests that other factors may be at play in real-life situations of extreme obedience.
Kelman and Hamilton (1989) argue that the My Lai massacre can be understood in terms of the power hierarchy of the US Army, demonstrating how legitimacy of authority can lead to real-life crimes of obedience.
Highlight: Real-life examples of obedience-related crimes underscore the complexity of human behavior in hierarchical situations and the limitations of single-factor explanations.
These considerations emphasize the need for a nuanced understanding of obedience that takes into account multiple factors, including individual differences, situational contexts, and cultural influences. This comprehensive approach is crucial for developing a more accurate and applicable model of obedience in psychology.
The Agentic State and Legitimacy of Authority
The agentic state is a crucial concept in explanations of obedience a level Psychology. It occurs when a person shifts responsibility for their actions to someone else, typically a figure of authority. This state is characterized by high levels of anxiety as the individual realizes the implications of their actions.
Definition: The agentic state is when a person doesn't take responsibility for their actions but blames someone else, particularly a figure of authority.
The agentic shift happens when a person perceives another as having higher authority, often due to social hierarchy. In most situations where someone is in charge, others defer to this person, shifting from autonomy to agency.
Vocabulary: Autonomous state refers to being in charge of one's own actions, contrasting with the agentic state.
Legitimacy of authority psychology is another key factor in obedience. Most societies are structured hierarchically, with legitimate authority agreed upon by governments and passed down through generations. This structure can lead to obedience to destructive authority, as seen in historical events like the My Lai massacre.
Example: Hitler's rise to power demonstrates how those with legitimate authority can abuse their position, leading to destructive consequences.
Binding factors Psychology examples include aspects of a situation that allow a person to ignore or minimize the damaging effects of their behavior, thus reducing moral conflict. Milgram proposed that people may shift responsibility to the victim as a binding factor.
Highlight: The concept of binding factors is crucial in understanding how individuals justify or rationalize obedient behavior that may be morally questionable.
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Stefan S
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Easy Social-Psychological Factors of Obedience for A-Level
Hannah
@hannah558
Social psychological factors of obedience play a crucial role in understanding human behavior in hierarchical situations. This summary explores key concepts such as the agentic state, binding factors, and legitimacy of authority in the context of obedience psychology.... Show more
Evaluation of Agentic State and Legitimacy of Authority
Research supports the concepts of agentic state and legitimacy of authority psychology a level AQA. Blass and Schmitt (2001) conducted a study showing students a film of Milgram's experiment, finding that participants blamed the experimenter rather than the subject. This indicates that responsibility was attributed to legitimate authority.
Example: In the Blass and Schmitt study, students recognized legitimate authority as the cause of obedience, supporting the explanation of the agentic state.
However, there are limitations to the agentic state explanation. It doesn't fully explain why some participants in Milgram's study did not obey, despite the presence of authority. Additionally, it fails to account for findings in other studies, such as Hofling et al., where nurses did not show expected levels of anxiety when following a doctor's orders.
Highlight: The agentic state theory has limitations in explaining varied obedience behaviors across different experimental settings.
Legitimacy of authority a level Psychology provides a useful account of cultural differences in obedience. Cross-cultural studies have shown that countries differ in the degree to which people are traditionally obedient to authority.
Example: Kilham and Mann (1974) replicated Milgram's procedure in Australia and found only 16% of participants went to the top of the voltage scale, compared to 85% in Mantell's (1971) German study.
These findings reflect how different societies are structured and how children are raised to perceive authority. The supportive evidence from cross-cultural research increases the validity of the explanation.
Highlight: Cultural differences in obedience highlight the importance of societal structure and upbringing in shaping attitudes towards authority.
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Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Real-Life Applications and Further Considerations
The concepts of agentic state and legitimacy of authority have real-world implications, particularly in understanding war crimes and atrocities. However, research suggests that not all such events can be fully explained by these theories alone.
Example: Mandel (1998) described an incident involving German Reserve Police Battalion 101, where men obeyed orders to shoot civilians in Poland despite not having direct orders to do so.
This example challenges the simplistic view of obedience to authority and suggests that other factors may be at play in real-life situations of extreme obedience.
Kelman and Hamilton (1989) argue that the My Lai massacre can be understood in terms of the power hierarchy of the US Army, demonstrating how legitimacy of authority can lead to real-life crimes of obedience.
Highlight: Real-life examples of obedience-related crimes underscore the complexity of human behavior in hierarchical situations and the limitations of single-factor explanations.
These considerations emphasize the need for a nuanced understanding of obedience that takes into account multiple factors, including individual differences, situational contexts, and cultural influences. This comprehensive approach is crucial for developing a more accurate and applicable model of obedience in psychology.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
The Agentic State and Legitimacy of Authority
The agentic state is a crucial concept in explanations of obedience a level Psychology. It occurs when a person shifts responsibility for their actions to someone else, typically a figure of authority. This state is characterized by high levels of anxiety as the individual realizes the implications of their actions.
Definition: The agentic state is when a person doesn't take responsibility for their actions but blames someone else, particularly a figure of authority.
The agentic shift happens when a person perceives another as having higher authority, often due to social hierarchy. In most situations where someone is in charge, others defer to this person, shifting from autonomy to agency.
Vocabulary: Autonomous state refers to being in charge of one's own actions, contrasting with the agentic state.
Legitimacy of authority psychology is another key factor in obedience. Most societies are structured hierarchically, with legitimate authority agreed upon by governments and passed down through generations. This structure can lead to obedience to destructive authority, as seen in historical events like the My Lai massacre.
Example: Hitler's rise to power demonstrates how those with legitimate authority can abuse their position, leading to destructive consequences.
Binding factors Psychology examples include aspects of a situation that allow a person to ignore or minimize the damaging effects of their behavior, thus reducing moral conflict. Milgram proposed that people may shift responsibility to the victim as a binding factor.
Highlight: The concept of binding factors is crucial in understanding how individuals justify or rationalize obedient behavior that may be morally questionable.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user