Authoritarian Personality

• What is the dispositional explanation for obedience known as?

  Authoritarian Personality
• What are the characteristics of an authoritarian personality?

  Respectful and submissive to authority, traditional values, and hostile to inferiors
• What childhood experiences contribute to the formation of an authoritarian personality?

  Harsh parenting, strict discipline, high standards, and severe criticism
• How does harsh parenting lead to resentment and hostility in children?

  Children displace fear onto others and scapegoat them
• What psychological mechanism do children with authoritarian personalities use to feel superior?

  They project their own insecurities onto others
• What research did Adorno et al. conduct in 1950 regarding authoritarian personalities?

  They measured attitudes towards minorities using the F-Scale
• What does the F-Scale measure?

  It measures fascist attitudes and authoritarian personality traits
• What was one of the findings regarding authoritarian personalities from Adorno's research?

  They show contempt for the weak and focus on social status
• What is the correlation between authoritarian personality and prejudice according to Adorno's findings?

  There is a positive correlation between authoritarian personality and prejudice
• What conclusion can be drawn about individuals with authoritarian personalities?

  They are obedient to authority and respect authority while disdaining inferiors
• What supporting evidence exists for the authoritarian personality theory?

  • Elms & Milgram's study found obedient participants scored higher on the F-Scale.
  • They viewed the experimenter as more admirable and the learner as less so.
  • Supports Adorno's claim that authoritarian personality increases obedience.
• What did Milgram's evidence suggest about situational variables in relation to obedience?

  Situational variables have a greater effect on obedience than dispositional factors
• How did Bickman's study demonstrate the influence of situational factors on obedience?

  Uniform increased obedience from 49% to 92%
• What is a limitation of the authoritarian personality theory regarding group obedience?

  It cannot explain society-wide obedience, such as in Nazi Germany
• What methodological weaknesses are associated with Adorno's research?

  Use of rating scales may lead to social desirability bias
• Why might questionnaires not validly measure personality traits according to the evaluation of authoritarian personality?

  Participants may provide answers deemed socially acceptable