Based on Milgram's obedience study, it would be expected that a military soldier would be least likely to follow orders to shoot an enemy combatant in what circumstances?

(A) When the order to shoot comes from a very low-ranking officer.

(B) When the military soldier is told he will not be held responsible for his actions.

(C) When two high-ranking officers disagree about whether or not the soldier should shoot.

(D) When the enemy is very close physically.

(C) When two high-ranking officers disagree about whether or not the soldier should shoot

Explanation:

This study demonstrated how an individual judgement and personal conscience may be influenced by instruction given by an authority.

The study was promoted in 1961 by Eichmaan defence in holocaust trials based on the his defence that he was following orders when he sanctioned the death of Jews.

This study can be interpreted with two theories

1. The first is how the reference group an individual belongs to can influence the judgement of the individual. An individual during period of crisis, with no ability to make decision is likable to allow his personal judgments and decision to be overruled by the hierarchy. Thus transferring his personal judgements to the group; therefore making the group his behavioural model. This is theory of conformism.

2. The second is the Agentic state theory; in executions of instructions given by a higher authority, individual usually see themselves as an agent of carrying out instructions or wishes of another person, and therefore assume that they are obident in their actions, and not responsible for the consequences of this.

Therefore, when there was not a conclusive order to shoot by the two authorities involved (high-ranking officers), definitely the soldier is less likely to shoot. C is the correct answer.