Agency Theory
Paper 1: Foundations in Psychology · Social Psychology · Obedience
Obedience
Following a direct instruction or order from a person who is perceived to have legitimate authority.
Milgram's agency theory explains destructive obedience by proposing that people can move between an autonomous state and an agentic state.
Autonomous state
A state in which a person sees themselves as responsible for their own actions and acts according to their own values.
Agentic state
A state in which a person sees themselves as an agent carrying out the wishes of an authority figure, so responsibility is displaced upwards to that authority.
- The change from autonomy to agency is called the agentic shift.
- Legitimate authority makes the shift more likely because the person believes the authority has a socially recognised right to give orders.
- Moral strain occurs when a person's values conflict with the authority's demands. The person may feel anxiety or guilt but still continue.
- Binding factors are ways of reducing moral strain without openly disobeying, such as minimising the harm, denying personal responsibility or blaming the victim.
Example
A hospital worker may carry out an instruction they privately think is wrong because they see the senior doctor as responsible for the decision.
How convincing is agency theory?
- Milgram's participants often asked who was responsible for harm, which is consistent with responsibility being displaced to the experimenter.
- The theory does not fully explain why many participants in the same situation refused to continue; individual differences and social identification can also matter.
- It can be criticised as descriptive: saying somebody entered an agentic state may rename obedience rather than fully explain the psychological mechanism.
Examiner Tip
When evaluating agency theory, do not just retell Milgram. Explain how a specific behaviour from the study supports or challenges responsibility displacement.
Common Mistake
Agentic state does not mean a person has no awareness or no choice. Milgram's participants often experienced strong moral strain.