The authoritarian personality is a 1950 sociology book by theodor w. He defined nine traits that are typical for authoritarians. Before diving into the authoritarian parenting mindset, lets take a quick look at the pure, archetypical authoritarian personality as it was originally theorized by sociologist and philosopher theodor adorno. While sanford and his team did not include an authoritarian dunzinario17 trait in their model of the prefascist personality to complement the au thoritarian submission trait that did appear, it is clear from several items on the fascism scale that the research team thought the authoritarian per.
The authoritarian personality is a personality type characterized by extreme obedience and unquestioning respect for and submission to the authority of a person external to the self, which is realized through the oppression of subordinate people. 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. See barbara tuchmans march of folly for what this personality cannot produce when it substitutes its canons for wisdom. 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. Pdf the authoritarian personality semantic scholar. Contemporary researchers often use altemeyers 1996 measure of authoritarianism, which corrected many of the response bias. 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 invented a set of criteria by which to define personality traits, ranked these traits and their intensity in any given person. He found that those with high scores on the f scale were raised by authoritative parents. Authoritarian personality definition at, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation.
The french political scientist maurice duvergers political parties 1951 is still highly. An authoritarian personality is either an attitude or a mindstate that can be characterized through a belief of submission or total obedience to a specific authority figure. Still, this does not imply that the theory is false 190. Authoritarian personality sociology of race iresearchnet. Authoritarian personality article about authoritarian. The authoritarian personality according to theodor adorno. The entire book is available on this website in pdf format. Introduction the contrasting ideologies of two college men. It was argued that these combined characteristics were indicative of an authoritarian personality type, a prejudiced individual who was antidemocratic and potentially fascist. As a collaborator and coauthor of the study, theodor w. Authoritarain personality pattern authoritarian personality catholicism clinic patients criminality cultural relations education ethnocentrism. Murray to stand for the dominance of feelings, fantasies, speculations, aspirationsan imaginative, subjective human outlook.
The other authoritarian personality 79 the 54 students who landed in the top quartile of militia scores were either high rwas l l, high sdos 14, or both the 20 emad items served up a mean interitem correlation of. Authoritarian personalities have a number of characteristics. Authoritarian personality theory of prejudice explained hrf. Authoritarianism adorno et al 1950 psychologyrocks. Followup read inspired by my last book on adornos speech from 1967, his classic studies on the the authoritarian personality as part of the wider research project studies in prejudice published in 1949 1950 which includes the famous fscale, measuring peoples fascist disposition. In 1950, the major publication, the authoritarian personality, appeared. In milgrams original research, psychologists questioned whether the obedience occurred due to situational factors, for example, uniform and location, or dispositional factors, such as a particular personality characteristic.
The researchers, led by theodor adorno and max horkheimer, used various psychological. Adorno et al 1950 found that there were strong, positive correlations between respondents scores. 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 strange death of the authoritarian personality. 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. The landmark 1950 study in social psychology the authoritarian personality represents a significant attempt to correlate rightwing political orientation with psychological or characterological dispositions. Authoritarian personality theory as a possible cause of individual differences in levels of obedience in some individuals.
In 1950 theodor adorno published a book called the authoritarian personality. Drawing from adorno et als 1950 the authoritarian personality, this paper seeks to explain why some workers reject participation in decisionmaking on principle, preferring instead to defer to managerial authority and remain silent. Gender, sexuality, and the authoritarian personality. Adorno brought to the research project a unique set of philosophical and socialtheoretical concerns that were not always consonant. The authoritarian personality, in short, is both us and u.
Adorno with else frenkelbrunswik, daniel levinson, and nevitt sanford wrote a book in their book the authoritarian personality in 1950. Projective questions in the study of personality and ideology the authoritarian personality, studies in prejudice series, volume 1. This, therefore, involves dominance and submission, and may be regarded as the obverse of a democratic preference. Authoritarianism has long been conceived of as a highly stable personality trait adorno et al. In 1950, harper and row published a book that had all the earmarks of a blockbuster in the field of psychology. The authoritarian personality revisited according to alan wolfe, the book the authoritarian personality by t. The term authoritarian personality was introduced by adorno et al. We provided a test of the trait conception of authoritarianism by measuring its stability in a community sample of twins over a 15 year period, and by identifying the source. Conceptually, the term authoritarian personality originated from the writings of erich fromm, and usually is applied to men and women who exhibit a. 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. Nevitt sanford 1950, was perhaps the first major work in political psychology to combine theoretical claims with methods similar to those 1. The authoritarian personality studies in prejudice. Authoritarian personality definition of authoritarian. The authoritarian personality is a psychological syndrome characterized by deference to authority, aggression toward outgroups, and strict adherence to cultural conventions.
This authority could then be distributed through that figures subordinates as well. The product of two german refugees theodor adorno and else frankel brunswik and two american social psychologists daniel levinson and nevitt sanford at the berkeley campus of the university of california, this publication firmly established the concept in social science. If there is a cause for war in our genes, the authoritarian personality is its manifestation. The california f scale f standing for fascist was used by adorno et al. This personality is often thought of as being strict, oppressive, and authoritative toward those who are. The authoritarian personality, studies in prejudice series, volume 1. Other articles where the authoritarian personality is discussed. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The theory of an authoritarian personality was an influential though controversial midtwentiethcentury theory to explain the mass appeal of fascism and ethnocentrism. Description and evaluation of the authoritarian personality. The authoritarian personality was an attempt by a group of researchers to explain the conditions that allowed naziism to gain a foothold in europe. Authoritarian personality is a state of mind or attitude characterized by belief in absolute obedience or submission to ones own authority, as well as the administration of that belief through.
As a very junior faculty member of harvards new department of social relations after the war, i. The authoritarian personality, by theodor adorno, else frenkelbrunswik, daniel j. The authoritarian personality hardcover january 1, 1950. Like milgram 1974, he too was jewish, and his work was also triggered by a desire to understand what lead to the atrocities committed during the holocaust and. The authoritarian personality this theory suggests that prejudice is associated with a particular personality type. Although since criticised on grounds of methodology, the continuing relevance of its findings gave rise to a new edition in 2019. The authoritarian personality university of minnesota press. Critical theory, the frankfurt school, adorno and horkheimer, and the culture industries explained duration. Mod 3 authoritarian personality linkedin slideshare. Regarding the authoritarian personalitys history, he says in sum, the theory presented in the 1950 volume was not objectively and impartially subjected to the rigorous demands of scientific method sahakian 259. It is a study tracing the roots and rise of authoritarianism not just to hitlers germany but to americas heartlandto the. That the authoritarian answer for what causes obedience is. Nevitt sanford, a central contributor to the authoritarian personality adorno et al. His survey was in response to the publication of the authoritarian personality by adorno, frankelbrunswick, levinson, and sanford 1950, attempting to better understand the underpinnings of fascisms emergence pre wwii.