Authoritarian Personality (Dispositional Explanation) Flashcards
(13 cards)
Who proposed the Authoritarian Personality theory and what does it suggest?
Adorno et al. (1950) proposed that some individuals have an authoritarian personality, making them more likely to obey authority and show prejudice towards lower-status groups.
What are key characteristics of an authoritarian personality?
Individuals show extreme respect for authority, are obedient to those in power, and have contempt for those they see as socially inferior.
How does the authoritarian personality develop in childhood?
Through strict parenting, involving harsh discipline, high expectations, and conditional love, leading to displaced hostility onto weaker groups.
What was the procedure used in Adorno’s 1950 study?
Adorno studied over 2,000 middle-class white Americans using the F-scale to assess unconscious authoritarian attitudes.
What were the findings of Adorno’s study?
High F-scale scorers showed high obedience and respect for authority, supporting a link between personality and obedience.
What does the Authoritarian Personality theory suggest about the cause of obedience?
It suggests obedience is influenced more by dispositional (personality) factors than situational ones.
What research evidence supports the link between authoritarian personality and obedience?
Milgram and Elms (1966) found that highly obedient participants in Milgram’s study scored higher on the F-scale.
What does milgram and elms study suggest?
A correlation between authoritarian traits and obedience.
this provides empirical support for Adorno’s theory as a dispositional explanation for obedience.
What is a political limitation of the F-scale?
It is politically biased ,
as it mainly measures right-wing (conservative) authoritarianism,
ignoringfact that left-wing (liberal) can also be authoritarian
e.g extreme communism
Why does the F-scale lack political neutrality?
Because it assumes authoritarianism exists only in right-wing ideologies, reducing its generalisability.
Why can’t authoritarianism explain obedience in whole populations (e.g., Nazi Germany)?
Because not everyone had an authoritarian personality, suggesting situational factors also play a key role.
What methodological issue affects the F-scale?
response bias,
as it is a questionnaire with leading statements that encourage agreement
Why is the validity of Adorno’s findings questionable?
Because high scores may reflect agreement bias, not genuine authoritarian traits, weakening the theory’s support.
