Authoritarian Personality

Question 1

Fascism

Answer 1

• one party dictator
• want a one party state
• against democracy

Question 2

Dispositional factors

Answer 2

-Adorno et al concluded that high levels of obedience believed to be a physiological disorder resulting from harsh parenting in childhood

Question 3

Adorno et al study

Answer 3

-Investigate the cause of obedient personality in a study of more than 2000 middle class white Americans
– Developed several scales including the F scale

Question 4

Adorno at al

findings

Answer 4

People with authoritarian leanings (high on F scale) identified as ‘strong’ people and were generally contemptuous of the weak
– Very conscious of own and others status
– Excessive respect and deference to those of higher authority
– Fixed and distinctive stereotypes about other groups
– Strong positive correlation between authoritarianism and prejudice

Question 5

Adorno et al

Conclusion

Answer 5

People with authoritarian personality tend to be especially obedient to authority
– Extreme respect and submissiveness to authority
– Contempt for people perceived to be lower social status
– Highly controversial attitudes towards sex, race and gender
– Society is ‘going to the dogs’, need strong and powerful leaders to enforce traditional values e.g. love of country, religion and family
– Everything right or wrong
– Uncomfortable with uncertainty

Question 6

Evaluation

Research support

Answer 6

Milgram and Elms interviewed those scoring highly on the F scale were found to be fully obedient

Question 7

Evaluation

Limited explanation

Answer 7

• Pre-war Germany showed racist, obedient and anti-Semitic behaviour
• Everyone cannot have the same personality type