social influence - dispositional explanation for obedience

Question 1

what is the dispositional explanation for social influence

Answer 1

authoritarian personality

Question 2

authoritarian personality - intro AO1

Answer 2

• proposed by Adorno
• internal explanation
• idea that certain personality characteristics associated with higher obedience levels

Question 3

How is authoritarian personality developed?

Answer 3

• collection of personality traits developed from strict parenting during childhood
• e.g. strict discipline, expectation of loyalty, impossibly high standards, severe criticism
  of failings

Question 4

What is the authoritarian personality?

Answer 4

What is it
- include showing extreme respect/submission for perceived authority
- view them as superior
- disapprove of individuals with low perceived authority
- see them as inferior
- direct anger towards them
- B/W thinking
- strict adherence to social rules and hierarchies

Question 5

How is authoritarian personality measured?

Answer 5

• assessed using F-scale (potential for facism scale)
• sample of over 2000 American ppts
• those who scored highly had A.P
• displayed above characteristics

Question 6

Research to support - AO3
Milgram and Elms

Answer 6

P - research to support Milgram and Elms

E - interviewed milgrams original ppts with F scale questionnaire
- to measure authoritarianism

E - found that those who had higher authoritarianism levels classed as obedient (ppts who went to 450V)
- those who had lower authoritarianism levels classed as defiant (stopped at 300V)

L - suggesting A.P associated with obedience
- supports dispositional explanation

Question 7

Criticism - AO3
social desirability

Answer 7

P - can be criticised for social desirability

E - ppts may have lied on F scale questionnaire
- to present themselves in best possible light

E - e.g minimising facist views

L - adorno not measuring what he intended to (authoritarian personality)
- weakens internal validity of dispositional explanation

Question 8

Weakness - AO3
limited to generalise to whole population

Answer 8

P -criticised for being limited explanation
- difficult to use personality as explanation for whole country population

E - e.g. pre-war Germany
- millions of individuals displayed obedient/racist/anti-semitic behaviour

E - likely that they all differed in pesonalities
- unlikely they all possessed A.P

L - casting doubt on A.P as obedience explanation

Question 9

Alternative explanation - AO3

Answer 9

P - alternative explanation
- situational factors

E - suggets obedience due to external factors
e.g. obedience increases when A.F wearing uniform

E - obedience may not just be due to A.P

L - weakens research
- not the sole explanation