SI: Authoritarian Personality

Question 1

Authoritarian personality

Answer 1

Highly obedient to people in authority
Also thought to be submissive to those of higher status and dismissive of inferiors

Question 2

Cause of authoritarian personality

Answer 2

Dispositional (naturally born with such a personality)

Situational (childhood: raised with strict, angry parents who gave punishments)

Question 3

Adorno et al (1950)

F Scale

Answer 3

Created to understand the anti-semitism of the Holocaust
High score: fixed, distinctive sytereotype
Authoritarianism, prejudice
‘Strong’ contemptuous of the ‘weak’

Question 4

Milgram & Elms (1966)

Answer 4

20 obedient pps. (administered full 450V)
20 disobedient (refused to continue)
Completed several personality questionnaires to measure level of authoritarian personality
+open ended questions about relationship with parents, experimenter, learner

Concluded that obedient pps. in original research displayed higher levels of authoritarian personality and were less close to fathers that the disobedient pps.

Question 5

Social identity theory

Answer 5

Social behaviour determined by group membership as well as personal character

Question 6

Limitation of F Scale

Answer 6

Methodological error
(All yes -> fascist)
Should vary yes/no
Acquiescence bias