Dispositional : Authoritarian Personality

• Who proposed Dispositional explanations?

  Adorno et al
• What types of Personalities are susceptible to obeying Authority?

  Those with Authoritarian Personality
• What types of traits do people with Authoritarian Personality have?

  1. Respect for Authority
  2. Rigid Thinking
  3. Highly Conformist
  4. Prejudiced Attitudes
  5. Aggressive towards subordinates
• Who developed the F-SCALE

  Adorno
• What was the F-scale used for?

  To assess traits that are related to authoritarianism
• What was believed about people who scored high on F-scale

  Believed to be more susceptible to obeying authority figure as they have tendency to be obedient and less likely to question authority.
• How is Authoritarian Personality developed?

  From Strict or Rigid Parenting
• What are 3 characteristics of those with authoritarian personality?

  • Conformist: Almsot always do what told to do
  • Conventional: Rarely find new solution to problems
  • Dogmatic - Unwilling to change views even when wrong
• How do those with authoritarian personality act towards those they perceive to be of lower status?

  They are hostile and dominant towards them.
• What does the harsh parenting lead to?

  Intrapsychic Conflict
• What are the problems with the F - Scale?

  Easy for those who answered to lie as it was a questionnaire.

  • Social desirability bias
• Research Support - Elms and Milgram

  They found higher levels of authoritarianism amongst the 20 obedient participants who went all the way to 450 volts
• Research Support - MIDDENORP and MELEON

  They found that less educated people are more likely to display authoritarian personality characteristics than well-educated poeple
• Research Support - GREENSTEIN

  They found that F-Scale is a comedy of methodological errors - every question is worded the same so has tendencies for acquiescence bias.

  Acquiescence bias is when we just agree with statement despite its content.
• EVALUATION: F-SCALE

  SOCIAL DESIRABILITY BIAS

  F-Scale relies on participants being truthful in their answers, taking time to answer the questions.

  Possible to be subject to social desirability bias to make themselves appear better, perhaps obeying to authority figures.

  • Causes results to lack internal validity.
  • Greenstein’s comment = acquiescence bias, many methodological issues regarding F-Scale.