Authoritarian Personality (Adorno) Flashcards

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What is the authoritarian personality?

It is a type of person who strongly respects authority. They like strict rules and may be harsh to lower-status people.

Who proposed the authoritarian personality theory?

Theodor Adorno and his team. They published it in 1950.

What is the F-scale used for?

It is a questionnaire that measures authoritarian traits. A higher score means more authoritarian views.

What kind of parenting can lead to an authoritarian personality?

Harsh, strict parenting with little warmth. Love is given only when the child obeys.

Give two traits of an authoritarian personality.

They respect authority and have rigid, traditional views. They can be hostile to people who break rules.

How does this personality explain obedience?

They believe authority should be obeyed. So they follow orders, even when unsure.

What did Adorno find about high F-scale scorers?

They showed strong respect for authority. They also held more prejudice towards minority groups.

What did Elms and Milgram (1966) find about obedience?

People who obeyed to the end scored higher on the F-scale. Those who refused scored lower.

Why is this only a partial explanation for obedience?

The links are correlations, not proof of cause. Many people obey without this personality. The situation also matters.

What is one problem with the F-scale?

People may agree with many items just to look good. This can make the scores less valid.

In this topic, what does dispositional explanation mean?

It means behaviour is due to personality traits. It is not due to the situation.

What does the “F” in F-scale stand for?

Fascism.