Discuss the agentic state and legitimacy of authority as explanations for obedience
Updated: Oct 7
Question 9
Discuss the agentic state and legitimacy of authority as explanations for obedience. Refer to the following scenario in your answer.
A security supervisor instructs an employee to prevent visitors from entering a building. The supervisor is wearing an official uniform and is responsible for enforcing the organisation’s rules. The employee follows the instruction and later explains that they were only carrying out the supervisor’s decision.
[16 marks]
What is expected in the answer?
The command word “discuss” requires students to describe and explain both explanations, apply them to the scenario, and evaluate them using evidence, limitations and/or alternative explanations. For 16 marks, students should give balanced attention to agentic state and legitimacy of authority, rather than writing mainly about one explanation.
This question assesses content explicitly required by the current AQA specification, which identifies agentic state and legitimacy of authority as explanations for obedience.
Marks for this question: AO1 = 6, AO2 = 4, AO3 = 6
Level | Marks | Description |
4 | 13–16 | Knowledge of the agentic state and legitimacy of authority is accurate and generally well detailed. Application to the employee and supervisor is clear and effective. Discussion is thorough and effective. The answer is clear, coherent and focused, with effective use of specialist terminology. Minor detail or expansion may occasionally be lacking. |
3 | 9–12 | Knowledge of both explanations is evident, although there may be occasional inaccuracies or omissions. Application and discussion are mostly effective. The answer is generally clear and organised, with appropriate use of specialist terminology. |
2 | 5–8 | Limited knowledge of the explanations is present and the answer is mainly descriptive. Discussion and/or application is of limited effectiveness. There may be inaccuracies or a lack of clarity. OR one explanation only is answered at a Level 3/4 standard. |
1 | 1–4 | Knowledge is very limited. Discussion and/or application is limited, poorly focused or absent. Specialist terminology is absent or used incorrectly. OR one explanation only is answered at a Level 1/2 standard. |
0 | 0 | No relevant content. |
This AO weighting and level structure closely follows AQA's previous 16-mark question specifically assessing these two explanations.
Indicative content
AO1: Knowledge and understanding
Agentic state
Credit relevant points such as:
Milgram proposed that people can operate in either an autonomous state or an agentic state.
In an autonomous state, a person sees themselves as responsible for their own actions and acts according to their own principles.
An agentic shift occurs when a person moves from autonomy into an agentic state after recognising another person as a legitimate authority.
In the agentic state, the individual sees themselves as an agent acting on behalf of an authority figure.
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