Resistance To Social Influence

Question 1

What is resistance to social influence?

Answer 1

Ability of individuals to withstand social pressure to conform to majority or obey authority.
- Influenced by both situational and dispositional factors.

Question 2

What is social support?

Answer 2

The presence of people who resist pressure or don’t obey helps others to do the same. Act as models - show that resistance to social pressure is possible.

Question 3

Social support - conformity

Answer 3

Conformity reduced if other do not also conform
- In Asch study shows they don’t have to be giving right answer but just not be following the majority allows person to be free follow themselves.
- Seen as a ‘model to them.
- However if they stop conforming - person will follow back. (Asch)

Question 4

Social support - obedience

Answer 4

• Pressure to obey can be reduced
• In one of Milgram’s variations - obedience dropped from 65 to 10% when ppts joined by disobedient confederate

Question 5

What is locus of control?

Answer 5

-What we believe directs out lives
- Can be internal or external

Question 6

What is an internal LOC?

Answer 6

• Believe the things happening to them is in their control
• Responsible for their actions
  e.g Do well in an exam cause they worked hard

Question 7

What is an external LOC?

Answer 7

• Believe things happen out of their control
• Mainly due to luck and external forces
  e.g Do well cause they used a good textbook

Question 8

LOC and resistance to social influence?

Answer 8

• People with an internal LOC are more likely to resist pressures to conform and obey.
• As they take responsibility for what happens
• More likely too be more confident in their actions and less need for social approval

Question 9

Strengths of locus of control

Answer 9

• Research support - supports link between social influence and LOC - Holland repeated Milgram’s study + measured whether they were internal or external LOCs - 37% of internals did not continue to 400v (Showed resistance, 23% of externals did not - increases confidence and validity of theory.
• Contradictory evidence HOWEVER could be due to societal changes rather than people becoming more external.

Question 10

Weaknesses of locus of control

Answer 10

• Contradictory evidence - analysed data from American LOC studies from over 40 years - showed people become more resistance to obedience however more people becoming external - challenges the link between them
• LOC has a limited role - been over exaggerated - has limited role when were in familiar situations - if conformed or obeyed in previous situation will do similar again no matter if they have an external LOC.