People with an authoritarian personality are more prone to adhere to right wing ideologies. The researchers, led by theodor adorno and max horkheimer, used various psychological scales to attempt to explain racism and the atmosphere that led to the slaughter of six million jews and others. Mod 3 authoritarian personality linkedin slideshare. The strange death of the authoritarian personality semantic scholar. Although many people may scoff, it may yet be shown that astrology can. The authoritarian personality has a strict superego, which controls a weak ego that is unable to cope with the strong impulses of the id. It is only natural and right that women be restricted in certain ways. Authoritarian personality authoritarian personality. Western scholars interest in the authoritarian personality originated from antisemitism. Adorno, else frenkelbrunswik, daniel levinson, and nevitt sanford, researchers working at the university of california, berkeley, during and shortly after world war ii. The authoritarian personality the identification of a particular personality type, the authoritarian personality, provided a possible explanation for why some people require very little pressure in order to obey authoritarian personality. Jun 08, 2008 people with an authoritarian personality are more prone to adhere to right wing ideologies.
Sanford, presented it, describe the contemporary influence of the concept and focus on possible implications for the study of nondemocratic regimes. The authoritarian personality mobilizes the methods and skills of the different branches of the social sc iences in one common research program. In contrast to the bigot of the older style, he seems to combine the. The dreadfully boring book was presented as a psychological treatise, wrapped in the cloak of science. Theodore adorno believed that people develop an authoritarian personality because of the upbringing they had as a child.
May 01, 2017 the landmark 1950 study in social psychology the authoritarian personality represents a significant attempt to correlate rightwing political orientation with psychological or characterological dispositions. Abstract authoritarianism is a key concept in personality psychology, with a. The french political scientist maurice duvergers political parties 1951 is still highly. The cultureinclusive theory of chinese authoritarian orientation. Personality characterized by extreme obedience to, and dependence on, a powerful leader or father figure. Mar 07, 2017 the authoritarian personality the identification of a particular personality type, the authoritarian personality, provided a possible explanation for why some people require very little pressure in order to obey authoritarian personality. Authoritarian personalities often develop from an upbringing of rigid discipline and conditional affection. If their parents are overly strict and punitive and show little love, the child grows up harbouring resentment and hostility towards their parents. Description and evaluation of the authoritarian personality. The authoritarian personality studies in prejudice. A landmark study of the 60s countercultue era was a thousand page long volume, published in 1950, by theodore adorno, called the authoritarian personality. The authoritarian personality by the frankfurt school figure theodor adorno was a milestone in the medicalization of dissent, aside from considerably more aggressive efforts in the soviet union where communists like him had unlimited power. Adorno brought to the research project a unique set of philosophical and social.
As researches progressed, the authoritarian personality was found to reflect rightwing authoritarianism instead of being neutral altemeyer, 1998. As a collaborator and coauthor of the study, theodor w. The authoritarian personality does not want to give orders. Adornos methodology and conclusions have been questioned as being circular reasoning in ascribing certain negative personality traits to particular political ideologies. Adorno s methodology and conclusions have been questioned as being circular reasoning in ascribing certain negative personality traits to particular political ideologies. In the early postworld war ii years, antifascisms most intricate, intersectional analysis of the political right came from a highly influential work within the academic social sciences. Pdf the authoritarian personality is a psychological syndrome. Comprehensive scores and summary of interview results the authoritarian personality, studies in. Altemeyer reidentified the authoritarian personality by identifying a cluster of 3 original personality variables that he referred to as right wing authoritarianism. Pdf the authoritarian personality semantic scholar. The authoritarian personality, studies in prejudice series, volume 1.
Nevitt sanford bringing together the findings of psychoanalysis and social science, this book grew out of an urgent commitment to study the origins of antisemitism in the aftermath of hitlers germany. Authoritarianism adorno et al 1950 psychologyrocks. Authoritarian personality definition of authoritarian. They combined freuds idea that suppression of instincts during childhood can have adverse effects in later life with an explanation for the rise of fascism and antisemiti. The authoritarian personality is a 1950 sociology book by theodor w. The authoritarian personality is a psychological syndrome characterized by deference to authority, aggression toward outgroups, and strict adherence to cultural conventions. But he rearranged categories of political belief, combining leftextremes and rightextremes as. Mar 30, 2017 in the early postworld war ii years, antifascisms most intricate, intersectional analysis of the political right came from a highly influential work within the academic social sciences. Adorno identified the authoritarian personality type as having the following characteristics.
Authoritarianism and political choice in france sciences po. Authoritarian personality definition at, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. In short, the authoritarian personality was developed under specific social, cultural and historical contexts, and was also closely related to the ideologies of western political development. The authoritarian personality was an attempt by a group of researchers to explain the conditions that allowed naziism to gain a foothold in europe.
The launch of the authoritarian personality adorno et al. This is a limitation of adornos theory because it is not a comprehensive dispostional explanation that can account for obedience to authority across the whole political spectrum. Authoritarian personality for a modern update of adornos thesis that neglects the milgram studies while still realizing adorno was descriptively accurate. The influence of the concept of authoritarian personality. They piloted and developed a questionnaire, which they called the fscale f for fascism. Theodor adorno, introduction to the authoritarian personality. This personality style can be measured using f scale, which has concurrent validity meaning it is positively correlated with other scales measuring that measure prejudice, indicating that the fscale also measures prejudice. Gender, sexuality, and the authoritarian personality bill e.
On the authoritarian personality and the academy, see william hixon jr. The authoritarian personality in the 21st century bond university. Jun 30, 2016 as researches progressed, the authoritarian personality was found to reflect rightwing authoritarianism instead of being neutral altemeyer, 1998. The theory of an authoritarian personality was an influential though controversial midtwentiethcentury theory to explain the mass appeal of fascism and ethnocentrism. Authoritarianism was represented as a highly stable personality trait in both the original conception put forward by adorno, frenkelbrunswick, levinson, and sanford 1950 as well as the widelyused revision of the construct offered by altemeyer, 1981, altemeyer, 1988, altemeyer, 1996. Authoritarian personality an overview sciencedirect topics. The resulting intrapsychic conflicts cause personal insecurities, which result in the superego adhering to externally imposed conventional norms conventionalism, and unquestioning obedience to the authorities who impose and administer the social norms of. The authoritarian personality 1950, reissued 1982, by theodor adorno and university of californiaberkeley psychologists else frenkelbrunswik, daniel levinson and nevitt sanford. The authoritarian personality book by adorno britannica. Gender, sexuality, and the authoritarian personality. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. Christie and jahoda 1954 argued that this is a politially biased interpretation of authoritarian personality. Conrad in their the politics of denial examine the punitive attitude of the new right since the 1970s toward issues of abortion, execution, and homosexuality.
Critical theory, the frankfurt school, adorno and horkheimer, and the culture industries explained duration. Abstract this article will briefly introduce the concept of authoritarian personality as its team of authors t. For the latest words see altemeyer and dean for the personality details and how they affect american politics of today. Murray to stand for the dominance of feelings, fantasies, speculations, aspirationsan imaginative, subjective human outlook.
The influence of the concept of authoritarian personality today. Although since criticised on grounds of methodology, the continuing relevance of its findings gave rise to a new edition in 2019. Comprehensive scores and summary of interview results the authoritarian personality, studies in prejudice series, volume 1. Experts in the field of social theory and depth psychology, what sort of individual is the prejudiced person. Authoritarian personality definition the authoritarian personality describes a type of person who prefers a social system with a strong ruler the authoritarian person is comfortable being the strong ruler but if the individual is not the strong ruler then he or she will demonstrate complete obedience to another strong authority figure. Authoritarian personality theory as a possible cause of individual differences in levels of obedience in some individuals. The authoritarian personality invented a set of criteria by which to define personality traits, ranked these traits and their intensity in any given person on what it called the f scale f for fascist. Platypus remarks on the authoritarian personality by adorno. These traits are accompanied by prejudicial, rigid, and tyrannical behavior against others, especially those who are inferior in rank, or vulnerable or weaker.
719 243 444 439 984 29 7 283 665 877 1480 1451 814 931 790 631 1372 117 494 171 443 1213 53 787 184 1272 670 17 967 951 667 798 627