Dispositional explanations of obedience
The authoritarian personality is a dispositional theory that explains why some people are more likely to obey authority figures because of their personality traits, rather than because of situational factors. It is therefore an internal explanation for obedience.
According to Adorno et al. (1950), the authoritarian personality develops during early childhood as a result of strict, harsh, and rigid parenting, where love and approval are dependent on the child’s behaviour. Such experiences can lead to feelings of hostility and resentment that are later displaced onto weaker or lower-status individuals.
People with an authoritarian personality tend to be highly respectful and submissive towards authority figures, believing that power and status should be obeyed without question. They also tend to have rigid, conventional attitudes, a strong belief in powerful leaders, and can be intolerant of minority groups. At the same time, they are often hostile or dismissive towards those they perceive as inferior. These traits make them more likely to follow orders from authority figures, even when those orders go against their own moral values. Adorno measured these authoritarian traits using the F-scale.
KEY STUDY: ADORNO ET AL. (1950)
Aim: To investigate unconscious attitudes towards other racial groups and to identify the personality characteristics associated with prejudice and obedience to authority.
Method: Adorno and his colleagues studied over 2,000 middle-class White Americans. They used a range of questionnaires to measure authoritarian traits, including the F-scale, which was designed to assess fascist tendencies.
The researchers believed that fascism was linked to an authoritarian personality. The F-scale included statements such as ‘Obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues children should learn’. Participants indicated how strongly they agreed or disagreed with each statement. Their responses were then used to identify whether they showed authoritarian tendencies.
Results: Adorno et al. found that participants who scored highly on the F-scale tended to:
admire strong authority figures and those in positions of power
look down on, and show disrespect towards, people they saw as weak
be preoccupied with status and power, both their own and others’
think in rigid categories and place people into stereotypical groups
show higher levels of prejudice
Conclusion: Adorno and his colleagues concluded that people with an authoritarian personality tend to be especially obedient and respectful towards authority figures. They are also more likely to be submissive, intolerant of uncertainty, and rigid in their thinking. This means they often see the world in fixed categories of right and wrong and are more likely to hold prejudiced attitudes. Adorno argued that such individuals believe society needs strong leadership and strict traditional values.