Explanations of resistance to social influence Flashcards
Social Support: explanation
-Research suggests when there are others in social situations who resist social influence, it becomes easier for an individual to also resist social influence
-Conformity, presence of others rebelling is strongest e.g Asch study, when confederate disagreed with majority, conformity dropped
-the sooner someone resists, the greater their chances of rallying others and resisting the majority increases
Social Support: strength 1
ASCH (1956) if dissenter answered correctly at start of study, conformity dropped from 32 to 6%. If confederate started to dissent later in study, conformity only dropped to 9% -> social support received earlier is more effective
Social Support: strength 2
MILGRAM (1974) found when 2 confederates elft study early on, declaring they would go no further,only 10% gave the maximum 450 volt
Locus of control: explanation
-personality dimension by Rotter- concerns the extent to which people perceive themselves as being in control of their own lives
-high internal loc=can affect outcomes of situations
-high external loc=can’t affect outcomes of situations
SO having internal loc makes individuals more resistant to social influence
Locus of control: evaluation: strength 1
SHUTE (1975) exposed undergraduates to peers who expressed either conservative or liberal attitudes to taking drugs, undergraduates with an internal loc conformed less to expressing pro-drug attitudes -> supports idea that having an internal loc increases resistance to conformity
Locus of control: evaluation: Limitation 1 (link with strength 2)
HOLLAND (1967) tested for a link between Loc and obedience but found no relationship between the two.
Locus of control: evaluation: strength 2
BLASS (1991) reanalysed the date from Holland (1967) and found participants with an internal LOC were more able to resist obedience than those with an external loc - mixed research evidence suggests relationship between loc is not straightforward
