resistance to social influence AO1

Question 1

what is social support?

Answer 1

• the presence of people who resist pressures to conform or obey helping others to do the same.
• these people act as models to show others that resistance to social influence is possible

Question 2

what two things can be resisted if there are other people resisting?

Answer 2

• the pressure to conform can be resisted if other people present are not conforming
• the pressure to obey can be resisted if another person is seen to disobey

Question 3

the fact that someone else is …. following the …. is …. …. . the confederate acts as a …. of ….. behaviour. their …. gives rise to more …. because it shows the …. is no longer …..

Answer 3

• the fact that someone else is not following the majority is social support
• the confederate acts as a ‘model’ of independent behaviour.
• their dissent gives rise to more dissent because it shows the majority is no longer unanimous.

Question 4

what research evidence is there to support the influence of social support in resisting the pressure to obey?

Answer 4

• in one of milgram’s variations, the 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

Question 5

what did rotter propose?

Answer 5

• locus of control as a concept concerned with:
• internal control vs external control

Question 6

what does it mean if someone has an internal locus of control?

Answer 6

• they believe that the things that happen to them are largely controlled by themselves.

Question 7

what does it mean if someone has an external locus of control?

Answer 7

• they tend to believe the things that happen are outside their control.

Question 8

why are people with a high internal loc more able to resist pressures to conform or obey? (two explanations)

Answer 8

• people with a high internal loc take personal responsibility for their actions and experiences. they tend to base their decisions on their own beliefs rather than depending on the opinions of others
• people with a high internal loc tend to be more self-confident, more achievement orientated and have higher intelligence. these are characteristics of leaders, who have much less need for social approval than followers