Milgram’s work into obedience provided us with valuable insights into why people obey, even though it was carried out in a laboratory. Outline two explanations of why people obey. (Total 4 marks)

Model Answer

One explanation is legitimacy of authority, where individuals obey those they perceive as having a legitimate right to give orders, such as authority figures in uniforms.

Another explanation is the agentic state, where individuals see themselves as acting on behalf of an authority figure, reducing their personal responsibility for their actions.