Social: Why does Blind Obedience occur in a prison setting?

Social: Why does Blind Obedience occur in a prison setting?

1. Describe

   • Example: Abu Ghraib, horrific acts of the US military
     • 2004 - evidence found of Iraqi prisoners being the subject of torture and abuse by the US milirary at Abu Ghraib prison
       • corrupt and enjoyed making the prisoners suffer
         • soldiers argued, they were just doing as they were told; obeying authority for the purpose of interrogation

2. Explain

   • could be due to dispositional behaviour;
     • result of corrupt soldiers + their individual personalities
       • some soldiers did not participate in the aggressive behaviour, some even attempted to stop abuse
         • still in autonomous state: down to own strength of morals
   • Psychological theories that explain such horrific acts and obedience:
     • In and Out groups
       • increased hostility towards prisoners; soldiers - in group, prisoners - out group
         • predjudice and discrimination
           • keep groups self esteem high
           • leads to viloence
     • Social Identity theory
       • identified with the group; all wear the same uniform
         • allegiance to one another
         • deindividualised and feel less responsible for own actions
       • also, mere existence of another group creates rivalry
         • Sherif et al. Robbers Cave study
           • 22 eleven 11year old boys split into two groups and even before competition, conflict arouse.
     • Behaviour was situational
       • carrying out actions influenced by each other, more likely to follow violent orders as the group encourages one another
     • Social Power
       • obedience due to the legitimate and coercive power the authority held
     • Blind Obedience
     • Agency theory
       • maintain a stable society - general tendency to obey those in authority
         • Autonomous
         • Agentic
           • though moral strain may show, individual gives up moral beliefs for the interests of the wider population
             • soldiers were obeying authority
           • Hofling et al.
             • 21/22 nurses administered lethal dosage of astrogen