agency theory

who developed the agency theory?

Milgram

what is obedience?

a form of social influence when an individual shows compliance to the real or imagined demands of an authority figure

why must the hierarchy of human society have stabilising function?

to create social order and harmony within the group

why is obedience within a social organisation necessary?

to prevent the social order from resulting in chaos and societal breakdown

what is the evolution theory?

the idea of natural selection, that and genes which aid survival will be passed on through generations

how are humans prepared to be obedient?

exposure to authority figures within the family and education system, allowing nurture through socialisation

what is an autonomous state?

where individuals act independently and take full responsibility for decisions and consequences

what are features of an autonomous state?

individuals see themselves as having power and free will over their decisions and actions

what state might an individual move into if given an order from an authority figure?

the agentic state

what is an agentic state?

where individuals give up their autonomy and moral responsibility to an authority figure

what are features of an agentic state?

individuals act as agents for others in charge, and lose conscience and free will over their decisions

what is moral strain?

mental discomfort when a person is forced to behave in a way that goes against their personal moral values or conscience

why might an individual shift into an agentic state when experiencing moral strain?

to alleviate distress by displacing the responsibility to the authority figure

what is the process of making the agentic shift?

judging the extent of the other person's legitimate authority and place in the hierarchy

what does Milgram's agency theory outline?

we are all capable of extreme obedience even if it means hurting someone else, which must serve some evolutionary or societal function