Paper 1 - Social Influence - Topic 1 - Resistance To Social Influence Flashcards
What is social support in the context of resisting conformity?
Social support occurs when another person is not conforming, enabling the naive participant to follow their own conscience
The confederate acts as a ‘model’ of independent behaviour, leading to more dissent
How does social support affect obedience?
The pressure to obey can be resisted if there is another person who disobeys, acting as a ‘model’ of dissent
In Milgram’s study, obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when a disobedient confederate was present
What is the Locus of Control
LOC is a concept that distinguishes between internal control and external control
Internals believe they control their outcomes, while externals attribute outcomes to external factors
How does Locus of Control relate to resistance to social influence?
Individuals with a high internal LOC are more able to resist pressures to conform or obey, as they take personal responsibility for their actions
They tend to base decisions on their beliefs rather than the opinions of others
What research supports the positive effects of social support?
Susan Albrecht et al. (2006) found that adolescents with a mentor were less likely to smoke compared to those without
This demonstrates that social support can help resists social influence
What did Gamson et al.’s (1982) study reveal about dissenting peers?
Their study showed that 88% of participants rebelled against orders when in groups, indicating that peer support can lead to disobedience
This undermines the legitimacy of authority figures
What did Holland’s (1967) study find regarding LOC and resistance?
Holland found that 37% of internals did not continue to the highest shock level in Milgram’s study, compared to 23% of externals
This suggests a link between internal LOC and greater resistance to authority
What contradictory evidence challenges the link between LOC and resistance?
Jean Twenge et al. (2004) found that while people became more resistant to obedience, they also became more external over time
This contradicts the expectation that resistance would correlate with a more internal LOC
What does Rotter (1982) say about the role of LOC in resistance?
Rotter argues that LOC is not the most important factor in determining resistance; its influence depends on the situation
A person’s LOC affects behaviour primarily in new situations
