Table 1. Thematic Analysis – Obedience.

Themes	Themes’ definition
Conformity	Obedience is perceived as conformity with regulations, “to carry out commands” (Participant 1). It is the willingness to follow and accept regulations and laws, for some participants it means to “take orders and carry them out to 100%” (Participant 22). One must adjust to the society, but it is also seen as a ranking of importance.
With/out Reflection	In this category thoughts on obedience are summarized with/without reflection. It means to follow a person, regulation, or system without thinking about one’s reasons or behavior. For some participants it is a question of finding middle ground, to “Follow without thinking about meaningfulness“ (Participant 3). Especially, in the upbringing of children it is important to find the right way of dealing with obedience “the right measure is the deciding factor” (Participant 37).
Fear of Punishment	Obedience is associated with a fear of punishment. This fear is a reason why people obey the law and submit to an authority. But it also is seen as a sign of respect, some set obedience as equal to respect “Reason for obedient behavior is fear” (Participant 4).
Types of Authority	Participants perceive obedience to different types of authority. Some see it as an acceptance of regulations and obligations; others identify authority in the form of social norms and conventions, to “observe the regulations and obligations” (Participant 2). There is a blind and abstract obedience, and the word is connected to educating children, the process of bringing up “students who follow at school, children observe rules of parents” (Participant 23).
No-Individuality	For many participants, obedience means no individuality because “thoughts and personal opinions do not matter” (Participant 1). One might also obey out of self-compulsion or out of responsibility to protect other members of society.
Positive/negative Connotation	Another opinion on the subject is the distinction between positive and negative connotation of obedience, as well as healthy and unhealthy obedience. In some cases obedience can be dangerous “there is healthy and unhealthy obedience” (Participant 78).

Note. The labels presented are listed in rank according to their frequency beginning with the label that scored the most answers.