authoritarian personality

Question 1

dispositional

Answer 1

explanation of individual behaviour caused by internal character from personality

Question 2

authoritarian personality

Answer 2

collection of traits developed from strict/ rigid parenting- causes child to be obedient/conforming.

anger they felt towards parents was displaced onto others

Question 3

characteristics of authoritarian personality

Answer 3

submissive to authority
narrow minded
enforce traditional values

Question 4

Adorno: F-scale

Answer 4

questionnaire - measure authoritarian personality traits. It was designed to identify individuals who are more likely to obey authority, hold rigid beliefs, be hostile to outgroups, and conform to traditional values. High scores on the F-scale were thought to indicate a greater likelihood of obedience and prejudice.

Question 5

Strength – Milgram’s study supports dispositional explanations for obedience.

Answer 5

35% of ppts resisted the authority figure, which cannot be explained by situational factors alone. Adorno’s theory explains why obedience levels vary between individuals- personality traits may influence obedience.

Question 6

Strength – Elms and Milgram= link between authoritarian personality and obedience.

Answer 6

Milgram- those who gave the highest shocks scored higher on the F-scale, suggesting they had authoritarian personalities. They also dehumanised the learner and saw the experimenter as more knowledgeable and trustworthy.

Question 7

Weakness – Correlational research does not prove causation.

Answer 7

Adorno’s theory of the authoritarian personality is based on a correlational study = shows a relationship between authoritarian traits and obedience- does not prove causation. Therefore, we cannot be certain that having an authoritarian personality directly causes someone to obey authority figures. Other explanations for obedience, such as the agentic state (where individuals see themselves as acting on behalf of an authority figure) and legitimacy of authority (where individuals perceive the authority as rightful or justified), are supported by stronger empirical evidence, including experimental research like Milgram’s studies. These alternative explanations provide a more direct understanding of the situational factors influencing obedience

Question 8

Weakness – The F-scale is biased and flawed.

Answer 8

F-scale has been criticised for acquiescence bias + being written in a way that could inflate authoritarian scores. Also, Adorno’s left-wing views may have biased the test against right-wing political beliefs.

Question 9

Weakness – The authoritarian personality theory ignores social factors.

Answer 9

oversimplifies obedience in events like WW2, ignoring the role of societal norms, peer pressure, and legal forces. Even people without authoritarian personalities can obey due to external influences.