Discursive Way of Treatment to Scrutiny Amenability - Term Paper Example

Discursive Approach to Studying Obedience Introduction Obedience is a human behavior where an individual succumbs to explicit orders from someone in power and it is well exemplified in the social psychology discipline. Obedient is perceived to be a virtue, but when applied in inappropriate circumstance, it becomes a vice. Obedience can be judged in regard to the action a person takes as far as following orders is concerned (Langdridge & Taylor, 2007). Obedience can be viewed at as moral or immoral depending on the consequences that follow an action done out of obeying orders. For instance, if a child is order by his parents to stamp another innocent child from a rival family to death and he does so willingly, this turns out to be an immoral or destructive obedience (Honeyman, 2005). On the contrary, if a soldier is order by his commander to kill an enemy who may harm innocent people and does so willingly, this is be considered to be moral or constructive obedient. Different scholars have devised various models to explain the concept of obedience. For instance, Stanley Milgram conducted an experiment in the 1960s and concluded that people appear obey more often whenever there is an apparent legal authority. Agency and power have great influence on obedience and can be very resourceful in the study of discursive approach to the study of obedience. In sociology, agency refers to the ability of a people to operate without external intrusion and make their own decisions freely. Discursive approach has been considered as an appropriate mechanism of studying obedience; however, the approach has some strengths and weaknesses as discussed below. Strengths of a discursive approach to studying obedience Promote creativity and critical thinking Discursive approach inculcates creativity and critical thinking in assessing obedience which aids in eliminating fallacious judgment. Moreover, the approach provides an avenue for both positive and negative criticism in the study human behavior. Therefore, an individual is able to give rational conclusion based on reason and not just mere illusion. Additionally, one is able to critically analysis the influence that power has on matters regarding obedience and how application of excess power can be controlled to mitigate destructive obedience (Langdridge & Taylor, 2007). Consequently, the approach aids in developing agency thereby ensuring that individual decision is not prejudiced by others and that an individual is independent in choosing the things to do and the way to do them. In additional, discursive approach enhance expansion of mind through argumentative strategies and elaborate disclosure of facts regarding the core subject of study. For instance, through discursive approach, Milgram acknowledged that obedience does not only bear negative consequence but also is associated with some positive outcomes. For instance, when students obey their teacher’s order not to cheat in an exam, the students are able to internalize concepts and engaging their mind fully in solving problems. Comprehensive exploration and evaluation of obedience Discursive approach enhances comprehensive exploration and evaluation of obedience and how power weakens personality to make people act strange (Rogers, 2003). Milgram’s studies have remained the most influence in the modern field of human psychology. In fact, his experiment on the influence of power on obedience provided a clear view of how destructive obedience can if not controlled. People can digress from their humane character and behave in very absurd manner when obliged to do so by authorities (Langdridge & Taylor, 2007). Through discursive approach it can be proven that agency is not based on gender constructions. In addition, the approach aids in assessing trends regarding obedient through critical analysis of theories developed by ancient scholars. In essence, subjecting people’s opinion to questioning enhances extraction of detailed information. The approach facilitates reasoning about people’s emotions to understand the aspect of subjective feelings and the influence the aspect has on obedience. Generally, emotions and mood swings can affect agency and response to power. Therefore, it is important to examine individual’s emotions through logical and subjective thinking to establish and improve on their effects in regard to obedience. Redefinition and intellect interpretation of obedience Discursive approach facilitates redefinition and intellect interpretation of the existing information concerning obedience. In fact the approach is very useful in understanding the diverse dynamics about obedience. The approach acknowledges the significance of language in understanding the social construction and personality of the human being. The approach enables us to understand the link between an individual’s action and the political welfare (Linstead, 2005). Observations of human life show that obedience behavior of some people is inclined to unique behaviors they inherited from past generations. If these suspicions were not subjected to critical analysis such conclusions would not have been possible. From the Milgram’s experiment, it can be deduced that variations in power applied to an individual relates in direct proportion, though not exert, to the level of obedience. In addition, it can be found that power or authority affects an individual’s freedom of decision making. In essence, power limits an individual’s independence of making choice. Gibson criticizes the validity of findings from Milgram’s experiment arguing that the experiment mislead the participants and infringed their human rights Hollway, Lucey & Phoenix (2007). The application of discursive approach in the study of human behavior by psychologists such as Gibson has expounded the minds of other scholars in the psychology in thinking about obedience and other human behavior. Uniting ideas and promoting innovation Discursive approach aids in the evaluation of the interpretation regarding obedience in order to identify the most appropriate strategy to apply (Kassin, Fein & Markus, 2011). In fact, it assists in solving ideological difference and unites intellectuals in the psychological field in search of the relevant information about obedience. If the existing discussions regarding obedience are not questioned, it might be very difficult to deduce the factual truth from faulty information. In essence, it is important to question the available information about something in order to arouse thinking and curiosity. Furthermore, if people believed fully on available information, innovation and new inventions would have died many years ago. For instance, in the study of destructive obedience several rhetoric psychologists have joined hands to prove the validity of Milgram’s arguments and experiment. Agency is a salient characteristic in assessing obedience since the final decision to obey or disobey an order rest on an individual (Kassin, Fein & Markus, 2011). Additionally, the approach is very influential in investigating atrocities done by human beings such as terrorism, genocides and other illicit behaviors. Moreover, discursive approach facilitates the questioning of human behavior to identify the root cause of the controversy. For instance, rhetoric psychologist argue that some events that happened in history ,such as the world wars, show that destructive behavior went beyond authority since people overreacted in following orders. It was observed that mass killings that happened during wars were not only caused by aggressive authorities but also free will of the soldiers to kill. Such critical examination of past events overrules Milgram’s attestation of destructive obedience. Promotion of epistemology Discursive approach promotes epistemological view of life. In fact, Hollway, Lucey & Phoenix (2007) noted that through the approach an individual is able to understand how knowledge is acquired and the contributing factors to acquisition of knowledge. This enhances effective analysis of agency and power in explaining human behavior. For instance, critiques of Milgram’s findings argue that human cognitive system is rarely destructed by external factors such as power. In fact, the major controversy underlying the Milgram’s obidienece model is the failure to incorporate rhetoric strategies in explaining human behavior (Edwards & Potter, 1992). Some aspects about oneself are hidden from self-consciousness and revealing them can be very challenging especially when trying to understand their influence on obedience. However, through discursive approach it is possible to understand these aspects since the approach advocates for communication in the analysis of factors affecting obedience. Weaknesses of a discursive approach to studying obedience Discursive approach has some weakness despite the numerous strengths when used in the study of obedience. Obedience is a broad topic in the study human behavior and discursive strategies do not apply in some instances as discussed below. Diverse reasoning Discursive approach involves use of reason and argument in accessing the cause of action. Reasoning is not uniform to everyone and therefore people have varied perceptions regarding obedience (Jørgensen & Phillips, 2002). As a result of this, discursive approach faces a lot of challenges in addressing the obedience issue. For instance, people reason differently in matters regarding power and authority and this poses a challenge in understanding the relation between obedient and power. Some people obey freely without being compelled by authorities while others have to receive orders from relevant authorities to be obedient. On the contrary, some people are very radical when forced to follow orders. In essence, use of power encourages disobedient to dome people. Cultural resistance Culture and family ties are very influential in shaping an individual’s behavior. Some cultural aspects cannot be subjected to discursive strategies. For instance, some cultures recognize men as symbols of power and women are expected to obey the orders without arguments. Unfortunately discursive approach does not recognize such practices and beliefs (Rogers, 2003). In this regard, use of discursive approach to study obedience might give faulty impression and mislead the learner on matters regarding human behavior. In addition, some human behaviors are hereditary and naturally complex to fathom even with the use of the best reasoning techniques. Additionally, studying agency can be very challenging since some people are not very positive in responding to interviews. Generally, personality differences and diverse cultural constructions challenge the adoption of discursive approach in the study of obedience. Bias Discursive approach is sometimes bias when it comes to the study of constructive and destructive obedience. The approach tends to confront agency on matters regarding destructive obedience, that is, individuals are responsible for undesirable results of following orders (Jørgensen & Phillips, 2002). The approach strategies never view authority as the major cause of destructive obedience. In most instances, the approach puts more emphasis on agency and the freedom of an individual to make decisions. This bias leaves the learner inclined on one side of the obedience discussion. In fact, the approach disregards authority as a significant influence to obedience and credits agency/ personal independence as the determinant factor of obedience. Basically, this is misleading because power has a significant share in shaping obedience. For instance, power has been used to ensure that members of the disciplined forces and other security state organs follow orders given by their commanders. Lack of coherence The approach lacks coherence in analyzing obedience. For instance, the study of people emotions and basing the study of obedience on such grounds can lead to faulty conclusion. Basically, individuals react differently when under the influence of emotions and therefore assessing obedience through the study of emotion can result in vague and misleading outcomes (Hollway, Lucey & Phoenix, 2007). For instance, some people give facial expression the might confusion someone studying human character in trying to reason what the expression meet. Some people frown when they are happy and others laugh when they are angered. Moreover, in appropriate use of facial expression makes a conversation difficult and hinder proper reasoning and sometime result in digression of an argument from the topic of discussion. In such instances, the use of argumentative approach to study obedience may not be very appropriate. In addition, the approach will not facilitate the identification of the influence of power and agency on obedience (Edwards & Potter, 1992). In essence, lack of coherence is the major weakness of discursive approach when it comes to the study of human behavior and obedient. Conclusion Human behavior is a broad segment that incorporates may elements that determine the character of an individual. Obedience is among the various elements in the large basket of human behaviors and can either be destructive or constructive. Several psychologists such as Stanley Midgram and Stephen Gibson have established models to explain obedience and the influence of power and agency on it. Destructive obedience usually result to harming innocent people in the society and is mutually driven by power and agency. Discursive approach can be used as a tool of studying obedience. The approach has numerous strengths and weakness that have to be considered when using it to study obedience. It is important to promote constructive/moral obedient in order to mitigate human suffering that happen when people obey orders to execute inhumane tasks such as genocides and murder. Reference list: Edwards, D. & Potter, J. (1992). Discursive Psychology. London: SAGE. Hollway, W., Lucey, H. & Phoenix, A. (2007). Social psychology matters. Maidenhead [u.a.]: Open Univ. Press. Honeyman, S. (2005). Elusive childhood: impossible representations in modern fiction. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, cop. Jørgensen, M. & Phillips, L. (2002). Discourse analysis as theory and method. London [u.a.]: SAGE. Kassin, S., Fein, S. & Markus, R. (2011). Social psychology. Belmont, CA: Cengage Wadsworth. Langdridge, D. & Taylor, S. (2007). Critical readings in social psychology. Maidenhead [u.a.]: Open Univ. Press. Linstead, A. (2005). Organization and Identity. New York: Routledge. Rogers, W. (2003). Social psychology: experimental and critical approaches. Maidenhead; Philadelphia: Open University Press. Read More