Dispositional Explanations of Obedience

• What is one dispositional explanation for obedience?

  The Authoritarian Personality
• What did Adorno investigate regarding Nazi soldiers?

  Why they persecuted minority groups
• What personality type did Adorno claim is more likely to obey authority?

  The authoritarian personality
• How did Adorno view blind obedience?

  As a psychological disorder
• What is the F-scale used for?

  To measure authoritarian personality
• Who conducted the study on authoritarian personality in 1950?

  Adorno et al.
• What was the sample used in Adorno's study?

  More than 2000 middle-class, white Americans
• What did the F-scale measure in participants?

  Unconscious attitudes towards racial groups
• What is an example of a question from the F-scale?

  "Obedience and respect for authority are important"
• What correlation did Adorno find regarding authoritarian personalities?

  Positive correlation with prejudice
• What are the characteristics of an authoritarian personality?

  • Rigid beliefs in conventional values
  • General hostility towards other groups
  • Intolerant of ambiguity
  • Submissive attitudes towards authority figures
• How is an authoritarian personality developed?

  Through harsh upbringing and little love
• What does Freud's idea suggest about personality development?

  It is determined by childhood experiences
• What did Milgram and Elms (1966) investigate?

  The link between obedience and authoritarian personality
• What did Milgram and Elms find about obedient participants?

  They scored higher on the F-scale
• What was a notable childhood factor for obedient participants in Milgram's study?

  Less closeness to their fathers
• What methodological issue is associated with the F-scale?

  Response bias or social desirability
• What does response bias in the F-scale affect?

  The internal validity of the research
• What is an alternative explanation to the authoritarian personality?

  Situational factors influencing obedience
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the authoritarian personality theory?

  Strengths:

  • Provides insight into personality's role in obedience
  • Supported by research findings

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Methodological issues with self-report measures
  • Alternative explanations exist