Dispositional Explanations for Obedience

While Milgram emphasised situational factors in explaining obedience, other psychologists have argued that dispositional factors (personality traits and individual differences) also play an important role. The most influential dispositional explanation is Adorno's concept of the authoritarian personality.

---

The Authoritarian Personality

Adorno et al. (1950)

Theodor Adorno and his colleagues conducted research shortly after World War II, trying to understand the psychological factors behind the rise of fascism and the obedience shown by ordinary people during the Holocaust.

What is the Authoritarian Personality?

The authoritarian personality is a personality type characterised by:

• Extreme obedience to authority figures and contempt for those seen as inferior
• Rigid, inflexible thinking — intolerance of ambiguity and a preference for clear-cut rules
• Conventional values — strong adherence to traditional social norms
• Hostility towards out-groups — prejudice against people who are different (different ethnicity, religion, social class, etc.)
• Submission to in-group authority — uncritical acceptance of the authority of those perceived as superior

How Does It Develop?

Adorno proposed that the authoritarian personality develops from strict, harsh parenting in childhood: