Dispositional explanations for obedience: the authoritarian personality

Question 1

What is the authoritarian personality?

Answer 1

A collection of traits developed through strict and rigid parenting.

e.g. contempt for the weak, obedience to those of perceived status, inflexible thinking.

Question 2

How does authoritarian personality originate.

Answer 2

Through strict or rigid parenting e.g. severe criticism, impossibly high standards, absolute loyalty, conditional love.

Results in resentment which cannot be voiced so is displaced onto others. (Psychodynamic).

Question 3

How was the authoritarian personality assessed?

Answer 3

• Adorno: 2000 white americans studied to find unconscious views to other racial groups.
• Developed f-scale.
• High score on f-scale consistent with authoritarian personality traits.

Question 4

Evaluation points.

Answer 4

+ Milgram and Elms: obedient ppts scored higher on the f-scale.

• Cannot explain obedience in whole populations.
• social desirability bias on f-scale.
• Individual differences: obedient ppts didn’t all glorify fathers, not hostile to mothers, didn’t experience harsh parenting. : authoritarian personality not a useful predictor for obedience.