authoritarian personality

• what is it?


  -likely to adhere to conventional values

  -believe in absolute obedience / submission to authority

  -more susceptible to obeying authority

  -dismissive to those of lower status
• how's it believed to form?


  -childhood

  -result of harsh parenting

  -child build up resentment & hostility towards parents, unable to express feelings in fear of punishment

  -take out frustrations on those considered weaker

  -acquire authoritarian attitudes through learning & imitation
• F scale - Adorno


  -to identify authoritarian personality

  -F = fascist

  -statements to do with authority & obedience

  -agreeing indicates authoritarian personality

  -rigid thinkers who obey authority
• Elms & Milgram 


  -follow up study using Ps who took part in one of Milgram's experiment 2 months earlier
• Elms & Milgram - PROCEDURE


  -selected 20 'obedient' Ps who continued until final shock and 20 defiant Ps who refused to continue

  -each P completed MMPI scale (measures range of personality variables)

  -and California F scale (measures authoritarianism levels)

  -Ps asked series of open ended questions (attitudes to 'learner & 'experimenter' and about childhood)
• Elms & Milgram - FINDINGS


  -found little difference between obedient & defiant Ps on MMPI variables

  -find higher authoritarianism levels in obedient Ps

  -significant differences between obedient & defiant that were consistent with idea of Authoritarian Personality

  -obedient Ps aw authority figure in Milgram's study as admirable & learner less