Dispositional explanation

• What are dispositional explanations?


  Any explaation of behaviour that highlights the importance of an individual’s personality i.e shy disposition.
• What is the dispositional explanation of obedience?

  The Authoritarian Personality by Adorno
• What is the authoritarian peronality?

  a personality type characterised by an extreme show of respect for authority. they also believe we need strong powerful leaders to enforce traditional values, and they believe people of inferior status (or ethnic groups) are responsible for the ills of society.
• What’s the origin of this personality?


  It forms in the childhood due to harsh parenting. the conditional love, impossibly high standards, and severe criticism of perceived failing, creates resentment and hostility to harbour in a child.
• What was Adorno’s (1950) procedure?


  He studied more than 2000 middle-class, white Americans and their unconscious attitudes towards other racial groups. This produced the F-scale, aka potential for fascism.

  People with authoritarian leanings were contemptuous of the weak. They also showed extreme respect and servility towards people of high status. Strong positive correlation was found between authoritarianism and prejudice.