**L9 - Situational explanations of Resistance to Social Influence Flashcards
resistance to social influence in key studies
THE PRESSURE TO CONFORM and/or obey can EXERT POWERFUL INFLUENCES OVER PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOUR
e.g in MILGRAM’S STUDY 65% OF PEOPLE OBEYED and ASCH FOUND THAT 75% OF PEOPLE CONFORMED AT LEAST ONCE
However, in BOTH OF THESE STUDIES there were SOME PEOPLE WHO MANAGED TO RESIST THE PRESSURE to CONFORM or OBEY.
For example, 35% OF PEOPLE in MILGRAM’S study REFUSED TO OBEY and 25% OF THE PPS in Asch’s study DID NOT CONFORM ON A SINGLE TRIAL
what is social support?
SOCIAL SUPPORT is a SITUATIONAL EXPLANATION of RESISTANCE TO SOCIAL INFLUENCE.
It argues that WHEN ONE PERSON REFUSES TO CONFORM/OBEY it makes it FAR MORE LIKELY THAT OTHER PEOPLE WILL ALSO RESIST SOCIAL INFLUENCE and REFUSE TO CONFORM/OBEY
allies and resistance to social influence
PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO RESIST SOCIAL INFLUENCE if they have an ALLY who RESISTS SOCIAL INFLUENCE and REFUSES TO CONFORM. This is because the ally is refusing to conform and BREAKING THE UNANIMITY OF THE GROUP and GROUPS ARE MORE INFLUENTIAL WHEN THEY ARE UNANIMOUS
WHEN UNANIMITY IS BROKEN, people start to think that there are OTHER, EQUALLY LEGITIMATE WAYS OF THINKING OR RESPONDING.
The PRESENCE OF AN ALLY gives them an INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF REALITY and makes them FEEL MORE CONFIDENT in their decision and BETTER ABLE TO STAND UP TO THE MAJORITY
role models and disobedience
PEOPLE ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO DEFY AUTHORITY if they SEE A DISOBEDIENT ROLE MODEL REFUSING TO CONFORM.
This is because when a person REJECTS THE INSTRUCTIONS OF AN AUTHORITY FIGURE it CHALLENGES THE AUTHORITY FIGURE’S LEGITIMATE AUTHORITY
+ MILGRAM
MILGRAM asked pps to DELIVER ELECTRIC SHOCKS to a CONFEDERATE (MR W) when he GOT A QUESTION WRONG.
The SHOCKS WERE NOT REAL but the PPS BELIEVED THEY WEREM 65% OF PPS shocked Mr W UP TO 450V, however when there was ANOTHER CONFEDERATE who acted as a DISOBEDIENT ROLE MODEL and REFUSED TO SHOCK MR W, ONLY 10% of PPS DELIVERED ELECTRIC SHOCKS UP TO 450V
+ ASCH
ASCH asked pps to say WHICH OF THREE TEST LINES WAS THE SAME AS A STANDARD LINE, the pps were in a GROUP WITH CONFEDERATES who PURPOSEFULLY GAVE THE SAME WRONG ANSWER even though the RIGHT ANSWER WAS OBVIOUS.
In 33% OF THE TRIALS the PPS CONFORMED TO THE GROUP AND GAVE THE WRONG ANSWER, however CONFORMITY DROPPED TO 5% when ONE CONFEDERATE ACTED AS AN ALLY to the pps and gave the RIGHT ANSWER
- ignores dispositional factors
in BOTH OF THE ORIGINAL STUDIES outlined above, SOME PPS WERE ABLE TO RESIST SOCIAL INFLUENCE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD NO SOCIAL SUPPORT.
This means that social support is NOT A COMPLETE EXPLANATION OF RESISTANCE TO SOCIAL INFLUENCE, other factors such as PERSONALITY TRAITS, also PLAY A PART in allowing people to resist social influence.
