Psychology

The exertive nature of authority is reprehensible for numerous atrocities that still shock the global citizenry. Obedience to authority has been found to overbear on an individuals rationality resulting to catastrophic eventualities. This phenomenon propelled numerous psychologists to study the process of obedience through various simulated scenarios.

Introduction and discussion
Milgrams experiment stands out as the most conclusive of all experiments regarding the perils of obedience. The experiment was aimed at testing the extent to which an individual could obey the order of an authoritative individual as outlined by Blass (2000)  Milgram (1974). The authoritative individual briefed the individual on the instructions he was to carry out. Through a carefully arranged scenario, feedback from the victim was relayed to both the subject of experiment and the authority. Reinforcing instructions were ready at hand to test the level of tolerance to carrying out inhumane treatment.

The experiment exploited the real scenario in everyday life. Most individuals find themselves persuaded and coerced to carry out activities, which to their knowledge are not right (Milgram, 1974). However, the status held by the authoritative individuals contributes to the conveyance of responsibility from the person carrying out the order to the person giving them as postulated by Levin (1994). As a result, the subjects in the experiments conformed to the ground rules and surrendered their decision-making faculty to the person giving instructions.

The blame does not however lie on the individuals unleashing the terror, but on the power wielded by the authority. This power is observed to inculcate a feeling of honor at being asked to perform a task.  HYPERLINK httpbooks.google.co.kebooksqinauthor22RobertP.Abelson22as_brr3clientfirefox-asourcegbs_metadata_rcad7 Abelson, et al (2004) contents that the subject feels trusted and part of the team, and is motivated to conform. Thus, it becomes a question of whether the actions are right in the eyes of the person in power. Owing to the fact that he has instructed his subject to act in that way, the choices available to the subject are limited to compliance.

Similarly, the individual surrenders his judgment under the propulsion of the fact that the authoritative individual has their reason for arriving at such a decision. Consequently, he feels honored and revered at being chosen to perform tasks that the person in power is not in a position to do. Whether the source of power is social or professional makes little difference because the need to belong traverses all bound.

The study was however faulted on the fact that the subject was only availing his services and was not entitled to contribute any resources. The result, could have been different had the subject been required to provide material support in addition to carrying out orders.

Conclusion
The authoritative nature the instructions and commands given to individuals contribute to the inability of an individual to act rationally. Regardless of the outcome, the fact remains that individuals are bound to act in an unreasonable way when under the influence of power. Their ability to think and act rationally is significantly compromised if the source of instruction is deemed authoriaative.