Lesson 9 - Situational Explanations of Resistance to Social Influence

Question 1

Resistance to Social Influence

Answer 1

Resistance to pressure to conform and/or obey
35% refused to obey in Milgram’s (1963) study
25% did not conform once in Asch’s (1951) study

Question 2

Social Support Theory

Answer 2

Situational explanation of resistance to social influence

Argues when one person refuses to conform/obey, it’s easier for others to also resist social influence

Question 3

Social Support Theory

Conformity

Answer 3

Less likely to conform if they have an ally who resists social influence and refuses to conform
Ally refusing to conform break unanimity of group
Groups are more influential if they are unanimous
When unanimity is broke, people start to think there other ways of thinking or responding
Ally presence gives them an independent assessment of reality making them more confident in their decision and better able to resist social influence

Question 4

Social Support Theory

Obedience

Answer 4

More likely to disobey an authority figure of they see a disobedient role model refusing to obey
When a person rejects instructions of an authority figure, it challenges the figure’s legitimate authority

Question 5

Social Support Theory Evaluation
Milgram (1974)
Positive

Answer 5

Asked participants to deliver electric shocks to a confederate when he got a question wrong
Shocks not real but participants believed they were
65% shocked Mr Wallace until 450 volts
When there was a confederate who acted as a disobedient role model and refused to shock Mr Wallace, obedience dropped to 10%

Question 6

Social Support Theory Evaluation
Asch (1951)
Positive

Answer 6

Asked participants to say which of three test lines was same as standard line
Participants in a group with confederates who purposefully gave the wrong answer even though correct answer was obvious
In 33% of trials, participants conformed
Conformity dropped to 5% when one confederate gave the right answer
Conformity dropped to 9% when confederate gave a different wrong answer but still went against majority

Question 7

Social Support Theory Evaluation
Asch (1951) and Milgram (1974)
Negative

Answer 7

In both original versions of studies, some participants still resisted social influence and refused to conform/obey even though they had no social support
Suggests social support is not a complete explanation of resistance to social influence
Other factors such as personality traits play a part in allowing people to refuse to conform/obey

Question 8

Social Support Theory Evaluation Points

Answer 8

Milgram (1974) Positive
Asch (1951) Positive

Milgram (1974) and Asch (1951) Negative