LOC (resistance) Flashcards
Supporting evidence from obedience research-
A limitation of research support for authoritarian personality is the methodology used. Adorno and his colleagues measured a range of variables and found many significant correlations between them. However, no matter how strong a correlation between two variables might be, this does not mean that one causes the other. Therefore, although authoritarianism and obedience may be linked, the link is limited and we cannot conclude that an authoritarian personality causes high level of obedience. This means that this link is only correlational so this makes it impossible to draw the conclusion that an authoritarian personality causes obedience, just that there is a relationship.
Supporting evidence from conformity research -
Research supports the idea that individuals with an internal locus of control are less likely to conform. Spector (1983) used Rotter’s locus of control scale to determine whether locus of control is associated with conformity. From 157 students, Spector found that individuals with an internal locus of control were less likely to conform than those with an external locus of control. However, this was only in situations of normative social influence, where individuals conform to be accepted. There was no difference between the two groups for informational social influence. This suggests that locus of control is more influential when conforming due to Normative social influence than informational social influence.
Supporting evidence form conformity research
There may be other factors such as social responsibility that may also contribute to individuals resisting social influence. Elms and Milgram set out to investigate the disobedient participants in Milgram’s experiments, by follow up interviews with a sample of participants. They found that disobedient participants had an internal locus of control and scored higher on a social responsibility scale. Therefore, it appears that locus of control and social responsibility may be important factors in an individual’s ability to disobey orders or to defy social norms (show independent behaviour). This suggests that other factors need to be considered when explaining resisting social influence.
