authoritarian personality

Question 1

how did Adorno measure authoritarian personalities in 1950?

Answer 1

the F-scale

• a questionnaire of 30 questions
• measured scale of authoritarian personality (the higher the score, the more authoritarian
• the questionnaire based questions on respect for authority and hierarchy, rules and order

Question 2

how did Altermeyer measure right wing authoritarianism?

Answer 2

• as an extension of Adorno’s study, completed another questionnaire
• explored the characteristics of a right wing authoritarian. (authoritarianism submission and aggression)
• measured the participant on a scale of conventionalism to traditional

Question 3

what’s a supporting AO3 point

Answer 3

Support: Milgrim and Elms

• carried out a study with participants previously used in one of Milgrim’s studies and chose 20 obedient and disobedient individuals.
• asked to complete the F-scale test
• found a correlation between F-scale score and obedience the more authoritarian, the more obedient.

Question 4

what is a challenging AO3 point?

Answer 4

Challenge: difference between authoritarian and obedient participants.
Elms and Milgrim presented important differences in characteristics of authoritarianism and obedience. For example, when asked about their upbringing, many described as being obedient said they had very good relationships with their parents, rather than having grown up in an overly strict environment like an authoritarian personality typically would have.

Question 5

what is a commentary/challenging AO3 point

Answer 5

Commentary: education may determine authoritarianism and obedience.
Research suggests that less-education people are consistently more authoritarian than well educated people as well as less-educated people being more obedient. This suggests that rather than authoritarianism causing obedience, the level of educations could be accountable for both.