Social Influence: Dispositional Explanations of Obedience

Question 1

Dispositional Explanations are…

Answer 1

any explanation of behaviour that highlights the importance of the individuals personality

Question 2

The Authoritarian personality is

Answer 2

Adorno’s idea
Agreed with authority
Obeyed those above
Dismissed those below

Question 3

Adorno’s research into the Authoritarian personality:

Procedure

Answer 3

• 2000 middle class white American
• Unconscious attitudes towards racial groups
• Developed several scales including F-Scale which measures authoritarian personality

Question 4

Adorno’s research into the Authoritarian personality:

Findings

Answer 4

Those who scored high on the F-Scale where:
Conscious of their own and others status
Absolutist thinking
Positive correlation between authoritarian personality and prejudice

Question 5

Origins of the Authoritarian Personality

Answer 5

Formed in childhood 
result of harsh parenting 
strict discipline 
high standards
conditional loe 

These experiences create resentment and hostility in child and child displaces onto others perceived as weaker

Question 6

Outline Dispositional explanations to obedience

Answer 6

• The authoritarian Personality
  Study
  Authoritarian characteristics
  Origins of authoritarian personality

Question 7

Evaluate Dispositional explanations to obedience:

Answer 7

+ Research Support

• Limited explanation
• Political Bias
• Methodological Problems
• Correlation not causation

Question 8

Evaluate Dispositional explanations to obedience:

+ Research Support

Answer 8

Milgram conducted interviews and found link with fully obedience participants scoring highly on the f-scale. Link between obedience and authoritarian personality

Question 9

Evaluate Dispositional explanations to obedience:

- Limited explanation

Answer 9

Suggests all people who obey have an authoritarian personality
this is not possible

Question 10

Evaluate Dispositional explanations to obedience:

- Political Bias

Answer 10

F-scale measures tendency towards a right-wing ideology
Limitation as not comprehensive
Cant account for obedience across whole political spectrum

Question 11

Evaluate Dispositional explanations to obedience:

- Methodological Problems

Answer 11

• bad sample
• researcher Bias
• scale all one sided

Question 12

Evaluate Dispositional explanations to obedience:

- Correlation not causation

Answer 12

Could be third variable