1. Why do people obey? 4 explanations

2. 1: Gradual commitment • People become locked into obedience in small stages. • Also known as ‘foot in the door technique’ • Once you have made some kind of commitment it is hard to go back on it. • Support for this explanation: • Milgram, each voltage increase was a gradual step beyond the previous action making it difficult to back out at any time. • Sheridan and King Puppy experiment

3. 2: Legitimate authority • This refers to the amount of social power held by the person (authority figure) who gives the instruction • Most societies have a hierarchical order with some having legitimate social power to issue instructions. • We are socialised in the family and school to obey authority. • We may obey because we trust them. • Or because they have the power to punish us. • Support for this explanation: • Milgram • Hoffling - hospital experiment

4. 3: Agentic Shift • It is easy to deny personal responsibility when orders come from a figure of authority because it can be assumed that they will take ultimate responsibility. • We become agents of an external authority. • We forgo out internal authority (conscience) for external authority (authority figure) and become an agent of external authority. • Support for this explanation: • Milgram • Hoffling Hospital experiment.

5. Dehumanisation • We are more likely to obey and inflict harm on someone if we can distance ourselves from the person being a human. • In war people are often seen as numbers/objects. • Achieved by removing a person’s individuality e.g. facial features, name, clothes. • Evidence to support this explanation: • Zimbardo

6. Task • Research all the supporting evidence on the internet for each explanation. • Answer the following questions: • Describe the 4 explanations of why people obey and describe evidence which supports/ demonstrates each explanation. • Explain how the evidence supports the explanation.