Obedience- Dispositional explanation

Question 1

What is dispositional explanation?

Answer 1

Any explanation of behaviour, highlighting the importance of personality

Question 2

What is the Authoritarian personality?

Answer 2

A personality type, especially susceptible to obeying people in authority

Question 3

Why did Adorno choose to study dispositional explanation for obedience?

Answer 3

To develop an understanding of the anti-Semitism of the Holocaust

Question 4

What did Adorno say people with AP see society like?

Answer 4

Society is weaker than it once was, so we need strong and powerful leaders to enforce traditional values

Question 5

How do people with AP view people of inferior social status?

Answer 5

Show contempt for those of inferior social status. People who are ‘other’ (ethnic group), are responsible for the ills of society- act as a convenient target for authoritarians

Question 6

What are the origins of the AP?

Answer 6

Formed in childhood, as a result of harsh parenting, including: extremely strict discipline, expectations of loyalty, high standards, severe criticism, conditional love. Fears displaced onto others (scapegoating)

Question 7

What was Adorno’s procedure when carrying out his research?

Answer 7

• Studied 2000 middle class White Americans, and their unconscious attitudes towards ethnic groups
• Developed F-scale to measure potential for fascism

Question 8

What were the findings from Adorno’s research?

Answer 8

• People with authoritarian leanings (high on scale- cognitive) identified with strong people and were contemptuous of the weak
• Conscious of status and showed extreme respect towards authority
• Positive correlation between authoritarianism and prejudice

Question 9

What are the strengths of the AP?

Answer 9

• Research support- Elms and Milgram

Question 10

What are the limitations of the AP?

Answer 10

• Unusual characteristics for AP
• Political bias
• Limited explanation
• Flawed evidence

Question 11

STRENGTH-
I- Research support

Answer 11

D- Elms and Milgram interviewed OG sample (fully obedient). Completed F-scale. The 20 obedient participants scored higher on F0scale than comparison of 20 disobedient participants
E- Supports Adorno’s view that obedient people show similar characteristics to people with an Authoritarian personality

Question 12

LIMITATION-
I- Inaccurate research support

Answer 12

D- When researchers analused individual subscales of F-scale, they found obedient participants had a number of unusual characteristics for Authoritarians (i.e. did not glorify fathers, did not experience unusual levels of childhood punishment, were not hostile towards mothers)
E- Means link between obedience and authoritarianism is compelx

Question 13

LIMITATION-
I- Limited explanation

Answer 13

D- In pre-war Germany, millions displayed anti-semitic behaviours. It is unlikely that the entire population possesses the AP. Social identity theory (SIT) suggests the majority of Germany identified with the anti-semitic Nazi state
E- Adorno’s theory is limited- alternative explanation is more realistic

Question 14

LIMITATION-
I- Political bias

Answer 14

D- Christie and Jahoda argue F-scale is politically-biased. Point out reality of ;eft wing authoritarianism in the form of Russian Bolshevism, Chinese maoism. Extreme right and left wing ideologies are similar- emphasise importance of complete obedience to political authority
E- Means Adorno’s theory is not a comprehensive explanation

Question 15

LIMITATION-
I- Flawed evidence

Answer 15

D- Greenstein calls the F-scale a ‘comedy of methodological errors’. It is possible to get a high score by selecting ‘agree’ answers
E- Inaccurate measure of obedience, due to response bias