explanations of resistance to social influence

Question 1

Social support

Answer 1

presence of other people who resist pressures to conform or obey can help others do same. Act as models to show others resistance to social influence is possible

Question 2

impact of social support on conformity

Answer 2

• help people resist conformity

- pressure to conform reduced if other people present who are not conforming

Question 3

impact of social support on obedience

Answer 3

• help people resist obedience
• pressure to obey reduced if another person seen tot disobey
• may not follow disobedient behaviour but acts a model to copy that free to act from own conscience

Question 4

A03 Social support- support role of dissenting peers in rising conformity by Asch

Answer 4

E- found if one confederate who went against other confederates, conformity rates dropped from 32% to 5.5%
C- demonstrates social support is explanation for resistance to social influence as dissenter enabled naive participant to behave more independently as they act as models

Question 5

A03 Social support- support role of dissenting peers in resisting SI by MIlgram

Answer 5

E- obedience rates dropped 65% to 10% when genuine participant joined by disobedient confederate who refused to give shocks
C- demonstrates social support is explanation for resistance to SI as disobedience acts as model for participant to copy that frees from own conscience

Question 6

Locus of control

Answer 6

• perception of personal control over own behaviour
• INTERNALS- behaviour caused by own personal decisions and efforts
• EXTERNALS- behaviour caused by fate,luck
• internal LOC= more likely to resist pressures to conform/obey as take personal responsibility, make decisions on own and rest pressures from others
• High internal LOC= more self -confident, less need for social approval

Question 7

A03 LOC: Research Holland supports link between LOC and resistance

Answer 7

E- Holland repeated MIlgrams study and measured whether participants were internals or externals and found 37% internals did not continue to highest shock 23% externals didd not. Internals showed greater resistance
C- increases validity of LOC to explaining resistance to SI as internals tend to be more self-confident and feel personally responsible for actions

Question 8

A03 LOC: Not all research supports link between LOC and resistance

Answer 8

E- Twenge et al analysed data from American obedience studies over 40 year period. Over time people become more resistant to obedience and more external. If resistance were linked to internal LOC would expect people to become more internal
C- challenges link between internal LOC and increasing resistance behaviour suggesting cannot be only explanation for resistance to SI

Question 9

A03 LOC: role of LOC in resisting SI may have been exaggerated

Answer 9

E- rotter- LOC only comes into play in novel situations and has little influence over behaviour in familiar situations where previous experiences will always be more important
C- people who have conformed or obeyed in specific situations in the past are likely to do so again, even if have high internal LOC