obedience dispositional explanation Flashcards
1
Q
who came up with the authoritarian personality
A
Adorno
2
Q
what is the authoritarian personality
A
- extreme respect for authority
- vie society weaker than it used to be
- need a strong and powerful leader to enforce traditional values
- more likely to obey orders from a source of authority
- contempt for those of inferior social status
- no grey area
3
Q
origins of the sutoritain personality
A
- forms in childhood as a result of harsh parenting
- strict discipline, expectations of loyalty, high standards and severe criticism
- creates resentment and hostility
- fears are displaced unto those who are weaker (scapegoating)
4
Q
participants in adorno et al research
A
- 2000 middle class white americans
5
Q
adorno et al research
A
- unconscious attitudes towards other ethnic groups
- developed the f scale
6
Q
findings of adorno et al research
A
- people with autortian leaning identified with strong people and were contemptuous of the weak
- conscious of status
showed extreme respect for those of higher status
6
Q
strength of authoritarian personality
A
- research support
- evidence from milgram
- interviewed participants who had been obedient in the original study
- completed the f scale
- these 20 participants scored higher on the f scale than 20 disobedient participants
7
Q
limitation of authoritarian personality
A
- limited explanation
- cannot explain obedient behavior in the majority of a counties population
- in pre war germany millions displayed antisemitic behavoiur
- unlikely that they all had the same personality
- social identity theory more convincing - people identified with the anti semitic nazi state - political bias
- only measures the tendency towards extreme form of right wing bias
- extreme right wing and left wing ideologies have a lot in common
- both emphasize the importance of obedience
