Obedience

Obedience is a form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order or instruction from an authority figure. It differs from conformity, which is behaving in line with group norms, and from compliance, which is yielding to a request without a formal command. Obedience can enable coordinated action and adherence to laws, but it can also lead to harmful outcomes when orders conflict with personal or moral standards.

In psychology, obedience has been studied as a key channel through which authority shapes behavior. Stanley Milgram's experiments in the 1960s showed that many participants were willing to administer what they believed were painful shocks to another person when instructed by an experimenter perceived as legitimate. Variations demonstrated that factors such as proximity to the victim, the authority figure's legitimacy, and the presence or absence of dissenting peers significantly affect obedience levels. Later studies, including hospital-based field experiments, raised ethical concerns about deception and participant distress.

Other important factors include the perceived responsibility of the authority, cultural norms regarding hierarchy, and the overall institutional setting. The concept of the agentic state describes how individuals may view themselves as instruments of others' will, thereby shifting accountability away from personal choice. Obedience can be adaptive in enforcing social order, but it can also justify coercive or immoral actions.

Applications and implications are seen in workplaces, the military, law enforcement, and public policy. Discussions about obedience involve balancing obedience to legitimate laws and commands with personal conscience and ethical principles. Because obedience and disobedience have profound consequences, researchers emphasize the importance of critical thinking, dissent, and institutional safeguards.

See also: authority, conformity, compliance, Milgram experiment, social influence.