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Obedience, in human behavior, is the quality of being obedient, which describes the act of carrying out commands, or being actuated.[1] Obedience differs from compliance, which is behavior influenced by peers, and from conformity, which is behavior intended to match that of the majority.

'''Obedience''', in [[human]] [[behavior]], is the [[quality]] of being obedient, which describes the [[act]] of carrying out commands, or being actuated.[1] Obedience differs from compliance, which is behavior influenced by peers, and from conformity, which is behavior intended to match that of the majority.

Humans have been shown to be surprisingly obedient in the presence of perceived legitimate authority figures, as demonstrated by the Milgram experiment in the 1960s, which was carried out by Stanley Milgram to discover how the Nazis managed to get ordinary people to take part in the mass murders of the Holocaust. The experiment showed that obedience to authority was the norm, not the exception. A similar conclusion was reached in the Stanford prison experiment.

 

Humans have been shown to be surprisingly obedient in the [[presence]] of perceived legitimate [[authority]] figures, as demonstrated by the Milgram experiment in the 1960s, which was carried out by Stanley Milgram to discover how the Nazis managed to get ordinary people to take part in the [[mass movement|mass]] [[murder]]s. The experiment showed that obedience to authority was the norm, not the exception. A similar conclusion was reached in the Stanford prison [[experiment]].

==Definition==

==Definition==

*I. In general uses.

*I. In general uses.

:1. a. The action or practice of obeying or doing what one is bidden; the fact or quality of being obedient; submission to the rule or authority of another; compliance with or performance of a command, law, etc. Freq. with to. See also passive obedience n. at PASSIVE adj. and n.

:1. a. The [[action]] or [[practice]] of obeying or doing what one is bidden; the [[fact]] or [[quality]] of being obedient; submission to the rule or [[authority]] of another; compliance with or performance of a command, [[law]], etc. Freq. with to. See also passive obedience n. at PASSIVE adj. and n.

::b. The action or fact of yielding to some actuating force or agency. Freq. in in obedience to. Cf. OBEY v. 5c.

::b. The action or fact of yielding to some actuating [[force]] or [[agency]]. Freq. in in obedience to.  

:2. a. The fact or position of being obeyed, or of having others subject to one's authority (usually in a political or ecclesiastical context); jurisdiction, authority, rule. Now hist.

:2. a. The fact or position of being obeyed, or of having others subject to one's authority (usually in a political or ecclesiastical [[context]]); jurisdiction, authority, rule. Now hist.

::b. A sphere of authority; a realm, district, or body of people subject to a particular (esp. ecclesiastical) rule; a dominion. Now rare.

::b. A [[sphere]] of authority; a realm, district, or [[body]] of people subject to a particular (esp. ecclesiastical) rule; a dominion. Now rare.

:3. Homage or submission to a person, thing, quality, idea, etc.; a formal gesture or salutation expressing this; a respectful acknowledgement, as a bow or curtsy. Esp. in to make (one's) obedience. Cf. OBEISANCE n. 2 , OBEISANCE n. 3. Freq. with to. Now arch. and regional.

:3. Homage or submission to a [[person]], [[thing]], [[quality]], [[idea]], etc.; a [[formal]] [[gesture]] or salutation expressing this; a respectful acknowledgement, as a bow or curtsy. Esp. in to make (one's) obedience. Cf. OBEISANCE n. 2 , OBEISANCE n. 3. Freq. with to. Now arch. and regional.

*II. In religious uses.

*II. In religious uses.

:4. The vow of submission to proper authority taken by a member of a religious order; the action or fact of keeping this vow. Now chiefly in vow of obedience.

:4. The vow of submission to proper [[authority]] taken by a member of a religious order; the [[action]] or [[fact]] of keeping this vow. Now chiefly in vow of obedience.

:5. An office, duty, or position of responsibility in a religious house or order, esp. as assigned to a particular member by a superior; the room or place relating to such a duty, etc. Also: the written order by which a religious superior communicates instructions regarding such duties.

:5. An office, duty, or position of responsibility in a religious house or order, esp. as assigned to a particular member by a superior; the room or place relating to such a duty, etc. Also: the written order by which a religious superior [[communicate]]s instructions regarding such duties.

==Forms of human obedience==

==Forms of human obedience==