Briefly discuss the Authoritarian Personality as an explanation for obedience to authority. (4 marks) 

Model Answer

The Authoritarian Personality is a dispositional explanation proposed by Adorno et al., which suggests that individuals with rigid beliefs and high respect for authority are more likely to obey. This personality type is thought to result from harsh, punitive parenting during childhood. Adorno’s research using the F-scale found that higher authoritarian scores were associated with greater obedience. However, this explanation is limited as it cannot account for widespread obedience in events like the Holocaust.