Authoritarian Personality

• This explanation focuses on the INTERNAL factors that affect the likelihood of a person following orders (obeying). This links to our disposition which is another name for personality.
• This explanation states that people with an authoritarian personality are more likely to be obedient.
• He suggested that there is a correlation between authoritarianism and obedience.
• This personality develops in childhood as a result of harsh and strict parenting.
• It means that children grow up resentful as they cannot express their feelings for fear of being punished.
• Instead, during adulthood, they 'displace' their feelings onto others who are seen as weak or inferior.
• This personality type has high respect for authority and low tolerance for those they believe below them.
• Adorno's Research:

  2000 middle class white Americans and their unconscious attitudes towards other racial groups.

  Developed the F-scale(Fascist Scale) to test for authoritarian personality.

  E.G. Obedience+ respect for authority are the two most important virtues that children should learn.
• Findings- Personality Characteristics

  Very obedient to authority.

  Extreme respect to authority.

  Submissive to authority.

  Dislike people with inferior status.

  High conventional attitudes towards race, sex and gender.

  Traditional Values.

  Inflexible in their thoughts(black and white, no grey areas.)