Obedience: The Authoritarian Personality

What is the authoritarian personality?

A personality type characterised by rigid beliefs, obedience to authority, hostility to outgroups, and respect for hierarchy.

Who proposed the authoritarian personality?

Adorno et al. (1950).

What was Adorno et al.'s aim?

To investigate the authoritarian personality and its link to obedience and prejudice.

What are the main characteristics of the authoritarian personality?

Blind obedience to authority, rigid thinking, hostility to outgroups, respect for hierarchy, and conventional beliefs.

Why are people with an authoritarian personality more obedient?

They see authority as legitimate and believe they must obey those of higher status.

What is the F-scale?

A questionnaire developed by Adorno to measure levels of authoritarian personality.

What does the F-scale stand for?

Fascism.

Give an example of an F-scale statement.

"Obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues children should learn."

What did Adorno find using the F-scale?

People with high F-scale scores were more obedient and more prejudiced.

What childhood experiences are linked to authoritarian personality?

Strict, harsh parenting with high expectations and punishment.

How does harsh parenting lead to authoritarian personality?

Children displace hostility towards parents onto weaker outgroups.

What defence mechanism explains this displacement?

Displacement.

Who is hostility displaced onto?

Outgroups such as minority groups.

How does authoritarian personality explain obedience in Milgram’s study?

Participants with authoritarian traits were more likely to obey the experimenter.

How does authoritarian personality explain obedience in real life?

People with authoritarian traits are more likely to obey authority figures such as police or governments.

How can authoritarian personality explain the Holocaust?

People with authoritarian personalities were more likely to obey Nazi authority without question.

Give one strength of the authoritarian personality explanation.

It explains individual differences in obedience.

Give another strength of the authoritarian personality explanation.

Research shows a correlation between high F-scale scores and obedience.

Give a weakness of the F-scale.

It is politically biased towards right-wing authoritarianism.

Why is the authoritarian personality explanation correlational?

It shows association but does not prove causation.

Why does self-report reduce validity in the F-scale?

Participants may give socially desirable answers.

Why is authoritarian personality considered a limited explanation?

It cannot explain obedience in all cultures or situations.

What situational explanation challenges authoritarian personality?

Legitimacy of authority.

What is legitimacy of authority?

The belief that authority figures have the right to give orders.

Why are situational explanations often preferred?

They explain obedience across different cultures and situations.