the authoritarian personality Flashcards
what are the 6 AO1 points you should know for the authoritarian personality?
-Definition of Authoritarian Personality
-Origins in Childhood – Harsh Parenting
-The F-Scale (Fascism Scale)
-Characteristics of the Authoritarian Personality
-Research Support – Milgram & Elms (1966)
-Dispositional vs. Situational Explanations
What is the authoritarian personality?
A dispositional explanation for obedience where individuals show extreme respect for authority, submission to power, and hostility toward lower-status people.
How does harsh parenting influence the authoritarian personality?
According to Adorno et al. (1950), it develops through strict and punitive upbringing, where children displace resentment toward authority onto weaker people (scapegoating).
What is the F-scale and what does it measure?
The Fascism Scale measures authoritarian traits like respect for authority, traditional values, and intolerance of ambiguity.
What are key characteristics of the authoritarian personality?
Traits include conventionalism, rigid thinking, submission to authority, hostility to outgroups, and a tendency to see the world in black-and-white terms.
What research supports the authoritarian personality explanation?
Milgram & Elms (1966) found that participants who gave 450V shocks scored higher on the F-scale, indicating more authoritarian traits than those who disobeyed.
How does this explanation differ from situational explanations?
The authoritarian personality is a dispositional explanation (based on personality), while Milgram’s situational variables focus on external factors like proximity and uniform.
