Dispositional explanations Flashcards
1
Q
explain the procedure?
A
- 2000 middle class white male americans
- was measuring 9 dimensions of A personality and had to rate their agreement with different statements form 1-6
- developed an F scale
2
Q
who is the main man
A
Adorno
3
Q
explain the aim?
A
-Adorno wanted to investigate the causes of obedient personality
4
Q
what were the findings?
A
- people who scored high on the F scale identified w/ strong people and judged the weak
- conscious of their status =authoritarian personality
5
Q
explain the authoritarian personality?
A
- normally obedient to authority
- look down on lower social status’
- homophobic
- enforce traditional views
6
Q
-explain origins of authoritarian personality?
A
- formed in childhood due to harsh parenting
- felt resentment and couldn’t express feelings to others therefore displaced to others seen as weaker
7
Q
what are the 3 evaluation points?
A
- poor research support
- limited explanation
- correlation not causation
8
Q
evaluate poor research support
A
WEAKNESS
- Milgrim’s interviews on a small sample who scored high on F scale
- believing there is a link between high obedience and A peronality
- could only be a correlation
- may be a 3rd factor eg. low levels of education
9
Q
evaluate limited explanation?
A
WEAKNESS
- pre war Germany millions displayed obedient racist behaviour
- despite their differing personality
- unlikely that they all had A personality
- limitation as this explanation is more realistic
10
Q
evaluate correlation not causation?
A
WEAKNESS
- Adorno measured a range of variables that found many significant correlations
- A personality= prejudice against minorities
- however there is no evidence that one causes another
- he has failed to explain that harsh parenting CAUSED A personality
