authoritarian personality

Question 1

What is Adorno’s study?

Answer 1

Adorno et al. (1950) studied more than 2000 middle-class white Americans and their unconscious attitudes towards other racial groups
Measured on the F-scale (fascism scale) - self report method
People who scored high on the F-scale tended to be raised by authoritarian parenting
Less educated people are more likely to obey
High on the F-scale means you are likely to have an authoritarian personality and have the characteristics

Question 2

What are the characteristics of an AP?

Answer 2

Obedient to authority
Submissive to authority - driven by blind respect
Inflexible with their outlook - no grey areas
Society is “going to the dogs” - need strong and powerful leaders to enforce traditional values
Scornful of the weak
Harsh parenting - high expectations and standards, unconditional love for parents even if they don’t agree with them

Question 3

Research support for Adorno

Answer 3

Elms (1966) found that people who score high on the F-scale are more likely to obey and have an authoritarian personality
Supports Adorno’s findings

Question 4

Evaluation points

Answer 4

Researchers found that obedient participants had a no. of characteristics that were unusual for authoritarians E.g. did not experience unusual levels of punishment in childhood - Questions validity of Adornos findings as some people have an authoritarian personality but not all the characteristics
It’s unlikely that all individuals displaying obedience in pre-war Germany had an authoritarian personality - Suggests they conformed and identified with anti-Semitic Nazi state (social identity theory)