A01

• Adorno believed high obedience was due to a psychological disorder termed Authoritarian Personality (AP). This disposition, rooted in childhood, manifests through extreme respect for authority and a belief in societal decline which needs strong leaders. AP individuals exhibit contempt for lower social status and adhere to rigid, black-and-white thinking, fostering prejudice and scapegoating. 
• Adorno's explanation outlines that harsh parenting (e.g. extreme discipline, conditional love and expectations of absolute loyalty) gives rise to fear and hostility, redirected towards perceived weaker groups. This type of behaviour is an example of displacement as explained by the psychodynamic approach.
• Adorno tested 2000 middle-class Americans, measuring unconscious attitudes via scales like the Fascism scale (F-scale). Findings revealed AP individuals' respect for authority, contempt for weakness, and cognitive inflexibility, fostering prejudice. This cognitive style lacked ambiguity, relying on fixed stereotypes. Strong correlations emerged between authoritarianism and prejudice, underlining AP's role in obedience to authority.