Learning Objective Describe Agency Theory as an explanation

Learning Objective: Describe Agency Theory as an explanation of Obedience (Milgram, 1974). You will be able to. . . • Identify key terms from definitions • complete a gap fill to develop ability to use terms effectively in detailed description You will be able to. . . • Sort real life and research examples into those that illustrate agentic state and those that illustrate autonomous state You will be able to. . . • Write a 5 mark description of agency theory • Peer/self assess the response • Apply agency theory to explain a scenario question

Learning Objective: Evaluate Agency Theory as an explanation of Obedience (Milgram, 1974) You will be able to. . . • • Use findings from Milgram (1963) to support agency theory Demonstrate how Agency theory is useful in that it successfully explains one real life example You will be able to. . . • • Use an alternative theory to explain why people differ in their ability to resist orders (Authoritarian personality theory) • Use findings from Hofling and other studies to support theory Demonstrate how agency theory fails to account for some research findings, such as why some people are better equipped than other to resist obedience • Assess evidence with regard to methodological strengths and weaknesses • Show agency theory fails to explain why some authority figures command more obedience than others and link to social power and charismatic leadership theory)

The clock is ticking! In pairs, you have 2 minutes to write down as many words or studies associated with obedience and agency theory as you can. Write each one onto a new piece of paper!

Time is up! Now get together with the pair opposite, put all your words together (removing any that are the same) sort your words from most to least confident with regard to using this word/study effectively in your written work. Write down the one which you are least confident on; by the end of the lesson you should have made an effort to improve your understanding of this word/study.

How confident are you that you could elaborate key features of agency theory?

To what extent is agency theory supported by research that can be considered generalisable?

To what extent can agency theory be said to be supported by research which is ecologically valid?

To what extent can agency theory be said to be explain events in every day life?

How confident are you that you could name at least one alternative theory of obedience?