Which finding supports the legitimacy of authority in Milgram’s work?

Which finding supports the legitimacy of authority in Milgram’s work?

• A. Obedience higher in the Yale setting
• B. Obedience higher in the run-down office
• C. Location had no effect
• D. Obedience only depends on the shock intensity

Answer: (C)

Authority is seen as legitimate when cues in the situation signal that the person giving orders has rightful power. Milgram showed that people’re more likely to obey when the setting suggests formal authority, such as a prestigious institution like Yale. The high obedience in that context demonstrates how legitimacy is reinforced by environmental cues that imply official power. When the setting shifted to a less prestigious location, obedience tended to drop, showing that the surrounding signals of authority matter for whether people accept and follow commands. So, the key idea is that obedience to authority rests not just on the instructions themselves, but on the perceived legitimacy conveyed by who is in charge and where the situation takes place.

Authority is seen as legitimate when cues in the situation signal that the person giving orders has rightful power. Milgram showed that people’re more likely to obey when the setting suggests formal authority, such as a prestigious institution like Yale. The high obedience in that context demonstrates how legitimacy is reinforced by environmental cues that imply official power. When the setting shifted to a less prestigious location, obedience tended to drop, showing that the surrounding signals of authority matter for whether people accept and follow commands. So, the key idea is that obedience to authority rests not just on the instructions themselves, but on the perceived legitimacy conveyed by who is in charge and where the situation takes place.