Conformity Booklet 3: Resistance To Social Influence, Minority Influence And Social Change

Question 1

What is locus of control?

Answer 1

A sense of control people have over the events in their lives

Question 2

What is externality?

Answer 2

Indvivuals who tend to belive that their behaviour and experience is caused by events outside of their control

Question 3

What is internality?

Answer 3

Indvivuals who tend to believe that they are responsible for their behaviour and experience rather than external forces

Question 4

What is social support?

Answer 4

The perception that an individual has assistance available from other people, and that they are a part of a supportive network

Question 5

What is commitment?

Answer 5

The degree to which members of a minority are dedicated to a particular cause or activity. The greater the commitment, greater the influence

Question 6

What is consistency?

Answer 6

The minority influence is effective, provided that there is a stability in the expressed position over time and agreement among different members of the minority

Question 7

What is flexibility?

Answer 7

A willingness to be flexible and to compromise when expressing a position

Question 8

What is minority influence?

Answer 8

A form of social Influence where members of the majority group change their beliefs or behaviours as a result of their exposure to a persuasive minority

Question 9

What is social change?

Answer 9

Occurs when a society or a section of society adopts a new belief or way of behaving which then becomees widely accepted as the norm

Question 10

What is social norms interventions?

Answer 10

An attempt to correct misconceptions of the normative behavior of peers in an attempt to change the risky behaviour of a target population

Question 11

Outline social support

Answer 11

1) standing against peer pressure or harmful authority is easier if you have an ally, as they provide the individual with an independent assessment of reality
2) breaks the unaminity of the position of the majority
3) non-conformists and disobedient models act as role models

Question 12

Social support research: asch

Answer 12

In a variation study, where an ally who gave the right answer caused conformity to drop form 33% to 5%

Question 13

Social support research: milgram

Answer 13

In a variation study, where the pp was one of 3 ‘teacher’ and the other 2 ‘teachers’ refused to continue, only 10% continued to 450V

Question 14

Social support research: Gamson et al

Answer 14

Asked pps to provide evidence in a smear campaign for an oil company and found higher levels of resistance (29/33 groups) than milgram probably because pp were in groups

Question 15

Locus of control research: avtgis

Answer 15

1) meta analysis of studies involving LOC and conformity
2) those who scored higher on External LOC were more easily persuaded and likely to conform
3) ‘internals’ more likely to resist social pressure

Question 16

Locus of control research: Holland

Answer 16

1) repeated Milgrams study and measured LOC
2) found that 37% of ‘internals’ did not continue to 450v whereas only 23% of ‘externals’ didn’t.
3) internals showed greater resistance

Question 17

Resistance to social Influence evaluation: Real world support is a strength. Explain, give examples and link.

Answer 17

Explain: Albrect evaluated Teen Fresh staaty USA, an 8 week programme to help pregnant adolescents (14-19) to resist peer pressure to smoke
Example: adolescents with ‘buddy’ - less likely to smoke than those with out a buddy
Link: social support can help young people resist social Influence as part of an intervention in the real world

Question 18

Resistance to social Influence evaluation: social support explanation is a limitation. Explain, give examples and link.

Answer 18

Explain: Allen and Levine showed social support can help people to resist the influence of a group. A dissenter with good eyesight, 64% genuine pps refused to conform, when no support it was 3%
Example: SS does not always help, dissenter had obviously poor eyesight (thick glasses), resistance was only 36%
Link: SS is somewhat limited and may not always help

Question 19

Resistance to social Influence evaluation: limited role of LOC is a limitation. Explain, give examples and link.

Answer 19

Explain: Rotter says LOC is not most importance factor in determining whether someone resists social Influence. LOC’s role depends on the situation
Example: a person’s LOC only significantly affects their behaviour in new situations
Link: if conformed or obeyed in specific situation before then there is chances that you will again regardless of high internal /external LOC

Question 20

Resistance to social Influence evaluation: contradictory research is a limitation. Explain, give examples and link.

Answer 20

Explain: challenged link between LOC and resistance. American LOC studies data shown that people become more resistant to obedience ; more external
Example: if resistance was is limited to internal LOC, expect people to be more intermal
Link: suggest LOC is not a valid explanation of how people resist social influence

Question 21

Minorities are effective when they are : consistent

Answer 21

It will increase interest. Either between people (synchronic) or over time (diachronic)

Question 22

Minorities are effective when they are : committed

Answer 22

Suggests certainly, confidence and courage. Seen to be willing to Suffer (augmentation principle)

Question 23

Minorities are effective when they are : flexible

Answer 23

Not rigid/dogmatic. Negotiate rather than enforce their position

Question 24

In the key study - Moscovici. What is the procedure?

Answer 24

1 - 4 naive pps and 2 confederates
2- shown series of blue slides and asked to judge colour
3- in the ‘consistent’ condition the 2 confederates called the slides ‘green’ of every trial
4 - in the ‘inconsistent’ condition the 2 confederates called the slides ‘green’ 2/3s of the trials
5 - control group had 6 naive pps, no confederates

Question 25

In the key study - Moscovici. What were the findings?

Answer 25

1) consistent minority influenced the majority to say green on 8% of the trials
2) inconsistent majority - 1%
3) control group - 0.25%

Question 26

Social change through minority influence: drawing attention to an issue

Answer 26

Educational, political and militant tactics

Question 27

Social change through minority influence: consistency

Answer 27

More influential if consistent (overtime and with eachother)

Question 28

Social change through minority influence: creating cognitive conflict

Answer 28

People begin to think about the issue

Question 29

Social change through minority influence: augmentation principle

Answer 29

If they are seen to suffer for their view they are taken more seriously

Question 30

Social change through minority influence: snowball effect

Answer 30

Minority influence initially has a small effect but this then spreads as more people consider the issue until it reaches ‘tipping point’

Question 31

Social change through minority influence: social cryptoamnesia

Answer 31

People don’t remember how change happened