Social Influence- Resistance To Social Influence Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is resistance to social influence?
Refers to the ability of people to withstand social pressure to conform to the majority or obey authority.
Explain social support for resisting conformity and give an example
If there is at least one other individual not conforming, others can also follow their own conscience rather than the majority. That person acts as a ‘model’. E.g. Asch’s research- unanimity.
Explain social support for resisting obedience and give an example
Pressure to obey can reduce if there is another individual willing to disobey.
E.g. Milgram did a variation where rate of obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when joined by another disobedient confederate.
What is a strength of social support?
Explanation for resisting conformity.
Allen and Levine found a large decrease in conformity when joined by a non-conformist partner in an Asch style study.
High internal validity.
What is a weakness of social support?
Opposing theory- locus of control.
Low internal validity.
What is an internal locus of control?
People who believe that whatever happens in their life is largely the result of their own behaviour. More likely to resist social influence.
What is an external locus of control?
People who believe that whatever happens to them is the result of external factors e.g. horoscopes/religion.
More likely to conform/obey.
What are 2 strengths of locus of control?
Support for link between LOC and obedience resistance.
Oliner researched by interviewing non-Jewish ww2 survivors, and compared those who had resisted orders to protect Jewish people with those who had not. Found that the 406 ‘rescuers’ who had resisted orders were more likely to have a high internal LOC, compared to the 126 who followed orders.
High internal validity.
Support for link between LOC and conformity resistance.
Spector used Rotters scale- 157 students, found that those with high internal LOC less likely to conform than those with high external LOC. however only in situations of normative social influence.
High internal validity.
What is a weakness of locus of control?
Contradictory research.
Twenge analysed data from American obedience studies over a 40yr period- showed that over time people have become more resistant to obedience but also more external. Challenges link between internal LOC and increasing resistant behaviour.
Inconsistency in findings- low internal validity.
