Social Influence: Dispositional Explanation of Obedience 24-25 updated

Question 1

What type of explanation is the dispositional explanation?

Answer 1

Internal

Question 2

Why is the dispositional explanation considered an internal explanation?

Answer 2

It focuses on personality characteristics

Question 3

What is suggested about the certain personality characteristics in relation to obedience levels?

Answer 3

Having certain personality characteristics may make someone MORE likely to obey.

Question 4

What type of personality is the dispositional explanation?

Answer 4

Authoritarian Personality

Question 5

The authoritarian personality focuses on what type of factors?

Answer 5

Internal factors

Question 6

HOW does the authoritarian personality develop?

Answer 6

Through strict parenting in early childhood which makes an individual more obedient to authority figures.

Question 7

What are some examples of strict parenting?

Answer 7

Extremely strict discipline (high levels of punishment), Impossibly high standards, severe criticisms of failings, expectations of loyalty

Question 8

WHAT does an authoritarian personality look like? (What characteristics does an individual show?)

Answer 8

• Extreme respect for authority and submission to them
• See perceived authority as superior
• Black and white thinking
• strict adherence to social rules and hierarchies
  ALL which increase obedience.

Question 9

How does someone with an authoritarian personality view an authority figure

Answer 9

As superior

Question 10

Who does someone with an authoritarian personality view as superior?

Answer 10

Authority figures

Question 11

If someone has an authoritarian personality, how does this affect their obedience?

Answer 11

They are more likely to obey

Question 12

How is the authoritarian personality assessed?

Answer 12

Using the F-Scale

Question 13

What research method does the F-Scale use?

Answer 13

Questionnaire

Question 14

What is the issue with using a questionnaire like the F scale to measure personality characteristics?

Answer 14

Social desirability bias may occur where participants will lie to present themselves in the best possible light.

Question 15

Who used the F-Scale to investigate the authoritarian personality?

Answer 15

Adorno

Question 16

Who was Adorno’s sample?

Answer 16

2000+ Americans

Question 17

The authoritarian personality is a collection of __________________

Answer 17

Personality traits

Question 18

The authoritarian personality are associated with …

Answer 18

Higher levels of obedience

Question 19

AO3: Research to support the authoritarian personality was conducted by…

Answer 19

Milgram & Elms

Question 20

AO3: What did Milgram & Elms do?

Answer 20

They interviewed participants who had taken part in Milgram’s experiment and asked them to complete the F scale questionnaire to measure the levels of authoritarianism.

Question 21

AO3: What did Milgram & Elms find?

Answer 21

Higher levels of authoritarianism among those participants classified as obedient (who went all the way to 450v) compared to those classed as defiant (those who stopped at 300v).

Question 22

AO3: Why does Milgram & Elms support the authoritarian personality?

Answer 22

Because those who scored higher on the F-Scale were more likely to obey - showing how internal factors like personality can lead to increased levels of obedience.

Question 23

AO3: How could we criticise the F-Scale for being a questionnaire?

Answer 23

Social desirability bias

Question 24

AO3: Discussion - Why might Milgram and Elm’s research to support the dispositional explanation be limited? What did Milgram find about the individuals characteristics?

Answer 24

Milgram found that the obedient participants in his research had a number of characteristics not typical in someone who has an authoritarian personality. For example, Milgram’s obedient individuals did not experience high levels of punishment in early childhood. This suggests that the link between obedience and AP is more complex.

Question 25

AO3: What is meant by social desirability bias?

Answer 25

Changing your response / behaviour to be seen in a better light

Question 26

AO3: What type of validity does social desirability affect?

Answer 26

Internal validity

Question 27

What is meant by internal validity?

Answer 27

Is the researcher measuring what they intend to measure

Question 28

AO3: HOW may the participants have changed their responses on the F-Scale due to social desirability

Answer 28

To make themselves seem more obedient

Question 29

What is an alternative explanation to the dispositional explanation?

Answer 29

Situational factors

Question 30

AO3: How are situational factors an alternative explanation for obedience? What do they suggest?

Answer 30

This would argue that obedience is due to external factors such as obedience levels increasing due to an authority figure wearing a uniform, rather than internal factors such as the authoritarian personality leading to increased obedience.

Question 31

AO3: Does having an alternative explanation strengthen or weaken the dispositional explanation of obedience?

Answer 31

Weaken

Question 32

The authoritarian personality is what type of explanation for obedience?

Answer 32

Dispositional

Question 33

Having an authoritarian personality means that you are less likely to obey.

True or False

Answer 33

False - you are more likely to obey

Question 34

What is the questionnaire called which measures the authoritarian personality?

Answer 34

F-Scale

Question 35

AO3: The dispositional explanation of obedience can be criticised for being a limited explanation as it is difficult to use personality as an explanation for obedience in most of a country’s population. Explain why.

Answer 35

For example, in pre-war Germany, millions of individuals displayed obedient, racist and anti-Semitic behaviour. It is likely that all of these individuals would have differed somewhat in their personalities, and very unlikely that they all possessed an authoritarian personality.

Question 36

Which of the following statements are true. Choose one only.
According to the authoritarian personality explanation of obedience, people who show unquestioning obedience…
A - have little respect for those in power
B - are kind to those they think are less important
C - are very aware of social status and hierarchies
D - are accepting of people from different backgrounds

Answer 36

Correct answer:
C - very aware of social status and hierarchies.