Dispositional Factors

• What are the 5 dispositional factors?

  LAMBS

  Locus of control

  Authoritarian personality

  Morality

  Brain structure

  Self-esteem
• What are dispositional factors?


  Things inside the individual (personality traits) that influence how they act.
• Explain locus of control on crowd behaviours


  The part of our personality that refers to how much control we believe we have over our own behaviour.

  Internal: we are mostly responsible for what happens to us.

  External: we do not have control over things that happen to us.
• What does internal locus of control have to do with social influence?


  Internal LOC: more likely to resist the pressure to conform/obey

  • If someone takes personal responsibility for their actions then they are more likely to base their decisions on their own beliefs.

  More self-confident, achievement oriented, higher intelligence, less need for social approval.
• What is the authoritarian personality?


  A distinct personality pattern characterised by:

  • Strict adherence to conventional values
  • A belief in absolute obedience/submission to authority
• Explain the effect of authoritarian personality


  It provides a possible explanation as to why some people require very little pressure to obey
• What is self-esteem?


  The level of satisfaction that someone has in themselves and their abilities.
• Effects of low self esteem on conformity


  People with low self-esteem tend to look to others to feel better about themselves + feel that they fit in.

  They do not trust their own opinions and beliefs a lot which means they are more likely to conform and be influenced by social norms, as this enables them to fit in with the group.
• Link between brain structure and self esteem


  Hippocampal volume

  High hippocampal volume = high self-esteem

  • Less likely to conform, they value their own viewpoint

  Low hippocampal volume = low self-esteem

  • More likely to conform, don't trust their own opinions + beliefs
• What is morality?

  Understanding what is right and wrong in our thoughts and behaviours.

  It includes being honest, truthful, respectful.
• What is more likely to happen with a low level of moral reasoning?


  More likely to engage in anti-social behaviour
• Link between brain structure and morality


  Prefrontal cortex

  Damage to the prefrontal cortex - associated with a lack of empathy and the inability to make suitable moral decisions.
• Why are dispositional factors reductionist?


  They ignore evidence that we are also influenced by factors around us. This means the theory is limited as it does not give us a clear picture of why people conform or obey.
• Why are dispositional factors not generalisable?


  Cultural bias - based in western cultures

  (for the research of morality on pro/anti-social behaviours)

  Doesn't take into account other cultures perspectives, so it cannot give a valid idea in other cultures.
• 3 criticisms of Dispositional factors?


  1. Reductionist - ignore evidence that we are also influenced by factors around us, therefore not giving us a clear picture of why people conform/obey. It is limited in this way.
  2. The explanations focus too much on how individual traits make somebody more likely to conform. This is limited as it cannot be generalised to all situations (can be more factors that can prevent influence)
  3. Cultural bias - based in western cultures, so this cannot be generalised. Does not take into account other cultures' perspectives - invalid idea.