obedience: dispositional explanations Flashcards
(26 cards)
What was the main aim of Adorno et al.’s research?
To understand the causes of anti-Semitism and obedience, particularly in the context of the Holocaust.
What is a dispositional explanation?
An explanation that locates the cause of behavior in the individual’s personality rather than the situation.
What is the Authoritarian Personality (AP)?
A personality type characterized by extreme respect for authority, submissiveness, and belief in strict social hierarchies.
What traits do people with an Authoritarian Personality display?
- Extreme respect for authority
- Scornful of those with lower status
- Rigid thinking
- Discomfort with uncertainty
How do people with an Authoritarian Personality view society?
They see society as weaker than it once was and believe strong leaders are needed to enforce traditional values.
What is the relationship between Authoritarian Personality and obedience?
People with an Authoritarian Personality are more likely to obey authority figures, even when orders are destructive.
What is scapegoating in the context of Authoritarian Personality?
Displacing hostility and resentment onto weaker groups, blaming them for society’s problems.
What is the psychodynamic explanation for the Authoritarian Personality?
It suggests that harsh parenting leads to resentment, which is displaced onto weaker groups, leading to obedience and prejudice.
What parenting style is linked to the development of the Authoritarian Personality?
A harsh style featuring strict discipline and conditional love.
What is the F-scale?
A measurement scale developed by Adorno et al. to assess the potential for fascism and Authoritarian Personality.
What did Adorno et al.’s procedure involve?
Surveying over 2000 middle-class, white Americans using measurement scales like the F-scale.
What were the findings of Adorno et al.’s research?
People with authoritarian leanings were scornful of the weak, conscious of status, and showed cognitive rigidity.
What is cognitive style in the context of Authoritarian Personality?
A rigid way of perceiving the world, with fixed stereotypes and clear categories (e.g., ‘black and white’ thinking).
What correlation did Adorno et al. find between authoritarianism and prejudice?
A strong positive correlation.
What research supports the Authoritarian Personality explanation?
Milgram and Elms interviewed obedient participants from Milgram’s studies, who scored higher on the F-scale than disobedient participants.
What is a key criticism (counterpoint) of the research support?
Obedient participants in Milgram’s study did not show all characteristics of the Authoritarian Personality, suggesting the link is complex.
What is a limitation of the Authoritarian Personality explanation?
It cannot explain obedience in the majority of a population, such as pre-war Germany, where millions obeyed anti-Semitic orders.
What alternative explanation is suggested for mass obedience?
The social identity theory, which focuses on group identity and scapegoating.
What is a political bias criticism of the F-scale?
The F-scale only measures a tendency towards extreme right-wing ideology and ignores left-wing authoritarianism.
What is the main implication of the political bias criticism?
Authoritarianism as measured by the F-scale does not apply to all forms of obedience across the political spectrum.
What is the main strength of the Authoritarian Personality theory?
There is some research support showing higher authoritarianism among obedient individuals.
What is the main cognitive feature of people with an Authoritarian Personality?
A rigid, black-and-white way of thinking with fixed stereotypes.
What is the psychodynamic process involved in the Authoritarian Personality?
Displacement of hostility from parents onto weaker social groups.
What is the role of conditional love in the development of the Authoritarian Personality?
Children receive love only if they behave correctly, leading to resentment and eventual displacement of hostility.
