Outline and evaluate explanations of obedience (Situational and Dispositional factors)

Question 1

Summary 1

Answer 1

One dispositional explanation for obedience, caused by a persons personality characteristics is Adorno’s authoritarian personality

This states that obedience is caused by experiencing harsh parenting as a child including suffering physical punishment

This causes an unquestioning respect for authority (making them more likely to obey) and creates anger (which is unconsciously directed at others)

The f scale questionnaire measures this personality type and suggests that those further along the scale share traits which make them more likely to obey

For example, they may have highly conventional or conservative views, aggressive or hostile towards those of lower status and be unquestioning of authority

Question 2

Strength a

Answer 2

Strength of authoritarian personality is that it has convincing research to support it

From elms and Milgram who found that the most obedient people in milgrams original experiment scored more highly on the f-scale than those who were less obedient

This shows that obedience is most likely in people who have an authoritarian personality as their childhood experience gives them a strong respect for authority, which makes them more likely to obey, suggesting the authoritarian personality is a valid explanation for obedience

However, they also found that the obedient participants reported having a good relationship with their parents rather than them being overly strict

Therefore, there is a difference between having strict parents and having an authoritarian personality, suggesting one does not necessarily cause the other

Question 3

Limit f

Answer 3

A limitation of the f-scale is that it is politically biased

Christie and jahoda (1954) suggested that the f-scale measures tendency towards right wing ideology

They point out that extreme right wing and left wing philosophies have a lot in common and both insist on complete obedience to political authority

This suggests that Adorno’s theory is not a complete explanation for obedience to authority, as it doesn’t explain obedience to left-wing authoritarianism

Question 4

Situational 1

Answer 4

However, the authoritarian personality can be criticised for being a dispositional explanation as it fails to consider the role of the environment a person may be in which could explain their obedience. Situational explanations suggest an external explanation for obedience.

One example is location of authority figure; people are more likely to obey in high status locations, with high levels of perceived authority (e.g. Yale university) as the proximity of the authority figure makes them close enough to exert their authority

A strength of proximity of the authority figure is that it has convincing research to support it from Milgram

Who found that 20.5% of participants obeyed ordered to give the maximum shock when the experimenter gave instructions via telephone (rather than personally in the same room)

This shows that obedience is most likely when the authority figure is close cause it gives the sense that he is able to exert his authority, suggesting proximity of the authority figure is a valid explanation for obedience

Question 5

Situation 2

Answer 5

The legitimacy of the authority figure is also a relevant factor. People are more likely to obey if the person giving orders has a high level of legitimate authority.

This is because the social role of authority increases their social influence, which people respect because they fear punishment if they dont obey.

A strength of legitimacy of authority as an explanation for obedience is that it can explain real life obedience

Kelman and Hamilton (1989) have suggested that the My Lai massacre during the Vietnam war can be explained by the power hierarchy in the US army

The army has authority, which is recognised by the US government and the law, and soldiers assume orders that are given to be legal; even those to kill and destroy homes and villages

If people are willing to let authority figures make judgements about acceptable conduct then they will no longer see their own moral values as being relevant to how they behave and consequently may engage in acts of destructive obedience, suggesting legitimacy of authority is a valid explanation for obedience