Authoritarian Personality (Dispositional Explanation to Obedience)

Needs Eval.

Dispositional Explanation

Any explanation of behaviour that highlights the importance of the individual’s personality

Authoritarian Personality

A personality pattern characterised by strict adherence to conventional values & a belief in absolute obedience or submission to authority

• Are usually dismissive of inferiors

Who investigated the authoritarian personality

Adorno (et al) 1950

What did Adorno et al believe about the authoritarian personality?

• Forms in childhood

• Result of harsh parenting 

  • Created resentment & hostility

  • These fears & feelings are displaced onto others who are perceived to be weaker (scapegoating)

Adorno PROCEDURE 

• Studied over 2000 middle-class, white Americans & their unconscious attitudes towards other ethnic groups

• Developed several measurement scales, including F-Scale 

Adorno Findings

People who scored high on F-Scale identified w. ‘strong’ people

• They were v. conscious of status & showed respect to those of higher status than them

• Had certain cognitive style that was v. ‘black & white’

  • Had fixed & distinctive stereotypes about other groups

• Found strong, positive correlation between authoritarian and prejudice