A03 Dispositional Explanation

• Evaluation of dispositional explanation


  -Causation & correlation (Adorno)

  -Methodological Issues (Adorno and Greenstein 1996)

  -Politically reductionist/bias (Adorno and Christie & Jahoda 1954)

  -Limited application (Nazis)

  +Support for link between authoritarian personality & obedience
• Causation & correlation - dispositional explanation A03- P1


  P: The flaw in Adornos work is that it is a correlational study. E.g found correlation between authoritarianism and prejudice against minority groups)

  E: Correlation does not inferior causality therefore in this study obedient behaviour is not necessarily the result of an authoritarian personality or vice versa. One may not cause other

  E: There may be a 3rd factor which explains the link between the 2 e.g educational attainment or social class could affect both co-varaibles
• Causation & correlation - dispositional factors A03 - PART 2



  L: It undermines the validity of the explanation as assumptions about authoritarianism causing obedience may be inaccurate. Therefore Adorno can't claim harsh parenting style caused development of an authoritarian personality
• Methodological Issues - Dispositional explanation A03 - PART 1


  P: There significant methodological issue with research design used by Adorno

  E:Adorno interviewed ppt about childhood experiences but already knew their test scores & study's hypothesis thus knew who had authoritarian personality. Meaning he vulnerable to observer bias & consciously or not he may have altered questions to extract info he wanted.

  E: Greenstein (1969) suggests F-Scale is 'comedy of methodological errors' e.g. items worded in same 'direction; so scale just measures the tendency to agree to everything
• Methodological Issues - Dispositional explanation A03 - PART 2


  L: This may affected internal validity of the concept of an authoritarian personality & of the study, measuring ppt response to potentially leading questions rather than their obedience.
• Politically reductionist/bias - dispositional explanation A03 - PART 1


  P: Another issue with the F-Scale is that it measures the tendency towards extreme right wing ideology says Christie & Jahoda (1954)

  E: But, extreme left wing ideology/authoritarianism is equally as dangerous (Lenin, Mao) & too relies on total obedience and political authority to be effective

  E: Someone answering this questionnaire with such left wing tendencies would appear to have no authoritarian personality despite being highly obedient.
• Politically reductionist/bias - dispositional explanation A03 - PART 2


  L: Adorno's theory is not a comprehensive dispositional explanation of obedience to authority coz it does not explain obedience across the political spectrum (to left wing authoritarianism) only those with right wing beliefs.
• Limited application - dispositional explanation A03 - PART 1


  P: There limited application of this theory as it cant explain cases where entire populations demonstrated obedient behaviour

  E: E.G. millions of individuals displayed obedient, anti-sematic & racist behaviour in pre war Germany

  E: Highly unlikely that entire nation had same personality types suggesting another cause.
• Limited application - dispositional explanation A03 - PART 2


  L: Perhaps alternative explanation be more appropriate in cases of widespread obedience like situational / socio-psychological variables. Or social identity theory explanation = most German's identified with Nazi state & adopted its views.
• Support for link between authoritarian personality & obedience - dispositional explanations A03


  P: Elms and Milgram (1966) interviewed fully obedient ppt - all scored highly on the F-Scale

  E: BUT, this link is just a correlation between measured variables.

  E: We cannot conclude from this that authoritarian personality causes obedience

  L: A 'third factor' may be involved. Both obedience and authoritarian personality may be caused by a lower level of education (Hyman & Sheatsley 1954)/