Dispositional explanation: Authoritarian Personality

• procedure of Authoritarian Personality: Adorno et al (1950)

  • 2000 mid-class, white Americans - subconsc. attitudes to other racial groups
  • measured using F-scale (likeness to fascism)
• What is the authoritarian personality?


  Type of personality Adorno argued is susceptible to obeying authority figures.

  > individuals with AP thought to be submissive to those in higher status and dismissive of those they see as "inferior"
• findings of Adorno's study of AP

  • authoritarian leanings (high on F-scale) -> identified with strong ppl; contempt towards weak
  • conscious of status (them and others) -> excessive respect, deference and servility
• cognitive findings of Adorno's study

  • no "fuzziness" between groups of ppl.
  • fixed stereotypes abt groups
  • positive correlation -> authoritarianism & prejudice
• authoritarian characteristics

  • tend to be especially obedient
  • extreme respect of authority -> very sub.
  • contempt to people they perceive as "inferior"
  • believe we need strong leaders to enforce trad. values
  • inflexible; no "grey areas" - also known as "absolutist/black-and--white" thinking
• origin of authoritarian personality

  • formed in childhood

  > parenting style incl: harsh discipline; expectation of absolute loyalty; severe criticism of failings

  • creates resentment + hostility towards parents BUT since they can't display these towards parents, they displace this onto other people (i.e., scapegoating)
• How does this explain the authoritarian personality?

  • central trait of obedience -> dislike to those they perceive as socially "inferior"

  This is a psychodynamic explanation
• weakness: methodological criticisms

  point: weakness - methodological issues with F-scale

  evidence: F-scale susceptible to acquiescence bias (answering same on all scales regardless of content)

  explain: weakness b/c it means the findings from the F-scale may not be truly representative of the ppts.

  link: weakness - methodological criticisms b/c lacks validity and reliability
• weakness: doesn't explain all cases

  point: weakness is AP doesn't explain all cases of obedience on political scale

  evidence: F-scale measures likeness to Fascism (right-wing) BUT left-wing authoritarianism (Bolshevism) exists

  > theory ignores Bolshevism; more sim. than diff.

  explain: weakness b/c it means AP cannot account for the Fascist-like views which may be present across the whole spectrum (e.g., emphasis on respect of legit authority)

  link: weakness - doesn't explain all b/c can't generalise
• weakness: lacks ecological validity

  point: weakness is AP lacks eco. validity

  evidence: can't explain many IRL cases of mass obed. (e.g., unlikely whole German pop. in Nazi Germany had AP)

  > many shared same struggles; displaced FEAR about future on perceived inferior groups

  explain: weakness b/c means the explanation is limited in some cases of obedience

  link: weakness - lacks ecological validity b/c means findings may not have a lot of real-world application.