Authoritarian Personality Flashcards
What is the authoritarian personality?
A personality type characterised by extreme obedience and submission to authority as well as a belief in strict adherence to conventional norms and values.
Who proposed the concept of the authoritarian personality?
Adorno et al
What was Adorno’s aim in researching the authoritarian personality?
To understand psychological roots of obedience, especially in relation to the holocaust.
What method did Adorno use to investigate authoritarian personalities?
Questionnaires particularly the F-scale to measure authoritarian tendencies.
What key characteristics of someone with an authoritarian personality?
- Respect for authority and obedience.
- Hostility towards people of lower status or out-groups.
- Conventional and traditional values.
- Intolerance of ambiguity.
- Strong belief in rigid hierarchies.
According to Adorno et al what is the origin of the authoritarian personality?
- Harsh parenting.
- Strict discipline.
- Conditional love.
- High standards.
- Lead to displaced hostility onto weaker targets (scapegoating).
How does the authoritarian personality explain obedience?
People with authoritarian personalities are more likely to obey authority figures unquestioningly due to their upbringing and belief in social hierarchy.
What is the F-scale and what does it measure?
A questionnaire designed by Adorno to measure racist tendencies indicating levels of authoritarianism.
Research support from Milgram
Ppts who were highly obedient scored higher on the F-scale suggesting a link between obedience and authoritarianism.
Correlation not causation
The F-scale shows correlation between obedience ad authoritarianism but doesn’t prove one causes the other.
F-scale suffers from response bias and acquiescence bias
People might agree with all statement making results unreliable.
Can’t explain obedience across populations
E.g. Nazi Germany since not everyone would have the authoritarian personality.
