resistance to social influence Flashcards
What is meant by resistance to social influence?
The ability people have to withstand social pressure to conform to the majority or obey authority
Explain social support and resisting conformity
Social support breaks the unanimous position of the majority. By breaking unanimity, they raise the possibility that there are other correct and legitimate ways of responding. The presence of an ALLY gives us confidence to be independent.
Explain social influence and resisting obedience
Individuals are generally more confident in their ability to disobey if someone else is disobeying with them. The DISSENTER acts as a role model from which the individual can model their own behaviour.
What are the evaluation points (strengths and weaknesses) of social support?
-explications are overly simplistic
-explanations ignore gender differences
-explanations ignore culture differences
-they are deterministic
Explain what is meant by locus of control
LOC refers to a persons perception of personal control of their own behaviour. It is measured from high ‘internal’ loc to high ‘external’. Most people would be somewhere in between.
What is meant by a high internal locus of control?
Individuals with high LOC believe their actions affect the outcome of situations. Individuals are more resistant to social pressure as they believe they have the free choice of whether to obey or conform.
What is meant by high external LOC?
Individuals believe that things will turn out a certain way regardless of their actions. Things happen because of luck, fate or other uncontrollable forces. These individuals re less resistant to conformity and obedience as they believe they have little ‘choice’ in the matter.
What are the evaluation points (strengths and weaknesses) of LOC?
-overly simplistic
-ignore gender differences
-ignores free will
Outline the study supporting LOC
-Holland (1967) repeats Milgram’s study
-measured whether ppts were high internal or external
-found that 37% of internals did not continue to maximum shock
-only 23% of externals did not continue
-internals showed greater RESISTANCE
