Obedience: Situational and Dispositional Explanations
Welcome to your study notes on Obedience! In the previous chapter, we looked at conformity (choosing to go along with a group). In this chapter, we are looking at obedience—which is a different type of social influence. Obedience happens when we follow a direct order from someone we perceive to be an authority figure.
Why do people do what they are told, even if it goes against their conscience? Psychologists look at two main reasons: the situation someone is in (the environment) and their disposition (their personality). Let's dive in!
1. Situational Variables: The Milgram Factor
To understand why people obey, we first look at the famous research by Milgram. He wanted to see if "ordinary" people would obey an order to hurt an innocent person. In his baseline study, \( 65\% \) of participants went all the way to \( 450 \) volts (a fatal shock) just because an experimenter in a lab coat told them to "please continue."
Milgram then changed the "situation" to see what made obedience go up or down. He identified three key situational variables:
Proximity
This refers to how physically close you are to the consequences of your actions or the person giving the order.
- Physical Proximity: When the "teacher" (the participant) and the "learner" (the victim) were in the same room, obedience dropped from \( 65\% \) to \( 40\% \).
- Authority Proximity: When the experimenter gave orders over the phone from a different room, obedience dropped to about \( 20.5\% \).
- Key Takeaway: It is much harder to be cruel when you are close to your victim, and much easier to disobey an authority figure who isn't standing right over you!
Location
The setting can signal how much power an authority figure has. Milgram moved the experiment from the prestigious Yale University to a run-down, "seedy" office building. Obedience dropped to \( 47.5\% \). Participants reported that the less prestigious location made the experimenter seem less "legitimate."
Uniform
Uniforms are powerful symbols of authority. In the baseline study, the experimenter wore a grey lab coat. In one variation, the experimenter was called away and replaced by a "member of the public" (an actor) wearing everyday clothes. Obedience dropped to the lowest level: \( 20\% \).
2. Social-Psychological Explanations
While the variables above describe when we obey, the following theories explain why we feel the need to obey in our minds.
The Agentic State
Normally, we are in an Autonomous State—we feel responsible for our own actions. However, when we obey an authority figure, we may undergo an Agentic Shift.
Definition: The Agentic State is a mental state where we feel we are acting as an "agent" for someone else. Because we are just "carrying out orders," we feel we have no personal responsibility for our behavior.
Analogy: Imagine a soldier in a war. They might do something they personally think is wrong, but they tell themselves, "I’m not the one doing this; I’m just a tool for my commander."
Binding Factors: These are the reasons why people stay in the agentic state even when they want to stop (e.g., not wanting to appear rude or arrogant to the authority figure).
Legitimacy of Authority
Most societies are ordered in a hierarchy (parents, teachers, police, government). we are taught from childhood that some positions carry Legitimate Authority. We obey them because we trust them or because they have the power to punish us. Symbols like uniforms or locations (like a courtroom) help reinforce this legitimacy.
Key Takeaway: We are more likely to obey if we believe the person giving the order has the "right" to be in charge.
3. Dispositional Explanation: The Authoritarian Personality
Some psychologists argued that it isn't just the situation that matters—it's the type of person you are. This is a dispositional explanation (internal factors).
The Authoritarian Personality is a specific personality type that is especially prone to obeying people in authority. People with this personality tend to:
- Have extreme respect for authority figures.
- Look down on people they perceive as having "lower status."
- View the world in "black and white"—everything is either right or wrong, with no middle ground.
- Be very traditional and uncomfortable with social change.
Where does it come from?
It is believed to form in childhood due to very strict parenting. If a child grows up with parents who demand total obedience and use physical punishment, the child feels a lot of hidden anger and resentment. Because they cannot express this anger toward their "scary" parents, they displace it onto people they see as "weaker" (like minority groups), while remaining totally submissive to authority.
Quick Review: Putting it All Together
Don't worry if this feels like a lot of terms! Just remember this simple breakdown:
Why do we obey?
- Situational Factors (Milgram): Am I close to the boss? (Proximity), Is the place fancy? (Location), Is the boss wearing a suit? (Uniform).
- Mental Factors: Am I just a tool for someone else? (Agentic State), Does this person have the right to tell me what to do? (Legitimacy of Authority).
- Personality Factors: Was I raised to never question a leader? (Authoritarian Personality).
Common Mistake to Avoid: Many students confuse conformity and obedience. Remember: Conformity is about fitting in with your peers (equals); obedience is about following orders from a superior (boss/authority).
Key Terms to Memorize:
Obedience: Following a direct order from an authority figure.
Agentic State: Feeling like an agent for someone else, losing personal responsibility.
Legitimacy of Authority: Accepting someone's power based on their position in a social hierarchy.
Dispositional: An explanation that focuses on internal personality traits.