Dispositional Explanations For Obedience Flashcards
What is the psychological disorder investigated in the study?
Authoritarian personality
High-level obedience was a key focus of the research.
What scales were developed in the study?
Potential for Fascism (F-scale)
This scale is still used to measure authoritarian personality.
What characteristic is associated with people who have an authoritarian personality?
Strong obedience to authority
They believe in the need for strong and powerful leaders.
What is a key trait of individuals with an authoritarian personality?
Disrespectful towards others
They are often dismissive of those seen as inferior.
What cognitive state is mentioned regarding people with authoritarian personalities?
Fixed and distinctive stereotypes
They lack ‘fuzziness’ between categories of people.
What correlation was found in the study?
Between authoritarianism and prejudice
A significant relationship was identified.
What does the dispositional explanation suggest about obedience?
Certain personality characteristics are associated with higher levels of obedience
This explanation focuses on internal traits.
What limitation does the study face regarding its explanation of obedience?
Does not explain obedience of the majority
The study primarily highlights correlational findings.
Adorno (1950) : Aim
Investigate if high level obedience was a psychological disorder
Adorno (1950) : Findings
People with a authoritarian learning identified with ‘strong’ people and would generally disrespectful of the ‘weak’. Very conscious of their own and others status showed excessive respect to those of high status.
Adorno (1950) : Conclusions
People with AP have tendency to be especially obedient to authority
Authoritarian Personality
A personality type where an individual is especially susceptible to obeying to people in authority
Individuals submissive to those of higher status and dismissive of those seen as inferior
Elms and Milgram
(Procedure)
Follow up study
20 obedient, 20 disobedient
Used F-scale
Elms and Milgram
(Findings)
High levels of authoritarianism among obedient participants than disobedient participants
