Resistance To Social Influence Flashcards
(9 cards)
Resisting conformity
The pressure to conform can be resisted if there are other people present who are not conforming. As we saw in Solomon Asch’s research (see page 16), the confederate who is not conforming may not be giving the right answer.
Simply the fact that someone else is not following the majority is social support. It enables the naïve participant to be free to follow their own conscience. The confederate acts as a ‘model’ of independent behaviour. Their dissent gives rise to more dissent because it shows that the majority is no longer unanimous.
Resisting obedience
Another person disobeying-pressure to obey can be resisted. One of milgrams variations- rate of obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when the genuine participant was joined by a disobedient confederate. The disobedient model challenges the legitimacy of the authority figure, making it easier for others to disobey.-Other persons disobedience acts as a ‘model’ of dissent for the participant to copy and this frees him to act from his own conscience.
Locus of control (different section)
Rotter(1966) proposed locus of control. Internal control vs external control. Some people are internals- believe the things that happen to them are largely controlled by themselves(eg doing well in an exam is because you worked hard).Some people are externals- believe things that happen to them are out of their control(eg doing well in an exam is because of their good textbook).People with high LOC are more able to resist pressures to conform or obey- take responsibility. Are also more confident and intelligent- more resistant to social influence.
Strength-social support-research
Albrecht et al (2006) evaluated an eight week programme to help pregnant adolescents aged 14-19 resist peer pressure to smoke. Social support provide by mentor- older. People with a mentor less likely to smoke than people in control group who didn’t have a mentor.
Furthermore this research has important implications on others areas of society. Stopping pregnant teens from engaging in dangerous and damaging behaviour during pregnancy means that the likelihood of giving birth to a baby with health problems is also reduced. This means that healthcare providers, that are often already stretched to capacity, will not have to expend resources on medical issues that could have been prevented in advance and will be able to focus their attention on people that are in need of care for reasons that are beyond their control.
Strength- social support- research support for dissenting peers
Gamson et al (1982) participants were told to produce evidence that would be used to help and oil company run a smear campaign. Researchers found higher levels of resistance in their study than milgram did in his. -group could discuss. 88% rebelled against orders.
Limitation -social support -thick glasses
Allen and Levine (1971) in Asch type study, dissenter had obvious poor eyesight (thick glasses), resistance to conform was only 36% even with social support.
Strength- locus of control- research
Supports link between LOC and resistance to obedience. Holland (1967) repeated milgrams baseline study and measures whether participants were internals or externals. 37% of internals didn’t continue to highest shock level, whereas 23% of externals didn’t continue. Internals resist more.
Limitation- LOC- contradictory research
Twenge et al (2004) analysed data from American LOC studies conducted over a 40 year period. Data showed that over that period people became more resistant to obedience but also more external. Contradicts.
LOC more
The LOC continuum
People are not just either internal or external. LOC is a scale and individuals vary in their position on it. So, high internal LOC is at one end of the continuum and high external at the other. Low internal and low external lie in-between.
Resistance to social influence
People with a high internal LOC are more able to resist pressures to conform or obey. If a person takes personal responsibility for their actions and experiences (as internals do), they tend to base their decisions on their own beliefs rather than depending on the opinions of others.
Another explanation is that people with a high internal LOC tend to be more self-confident, more achievement-oriented and have higher intelligence. These traits lead to greater resistance to social influence. These are also characteristics of leaders, who have much less need for social approval than followers.
