Resistance To SI + Social Change

Question 1

Resistance to social influence refers to

Answer 1

The ability of people to withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or obey the authority figure

Question 2

Resistance to social influence
Explanation 1. Locus of control

Answer 2

Locus of control refers to a persons perception of personal control over their own behaviour
measured on a scale of high internal to high external

Question 3

Internal locus of control

Answer 3

High level of control over their lives and behaviour
They take responsibility for it
More able to resist social influence

Question 4

External locus of control

Answer 4

Belief that life is determined by external factors eg fate
More likely to be influenced by others as they don’t believe they exercise personal control over their lives
Less likely to resist social influence

Question 5

Strength of locus of control
Supportive research

Answer 5

P: supportive research
E: a study that replicated Milgrams electric shock study also assessed LOC in their Ps. 37% of internals refused to continue to 350V but only 23% of externals refused
C: it supports Rotter’s research as more internals refused

Question 6

Limitation of locus of control
Temporal validity

Answer 6

P: the research may lack temporal validity: the findings can’t be generalised to different times
E: research has recently found that more people report having an external LOC but they are more able to resist social influence
C: it contradicts Rotter’s original work as externals are resisting social influence. His research also can’t be generalised to modern day

Question 7

Limitation of LOC
questionnaire

Answer 7

P: it uses a questionnaire
E: participants could display social desirability. They could change their answers to fit in.
C: lowers validity of results. Questionnaire may not have measured LOC correctly

Question 8

Resistance to social influence
Explanation 2. Social support

Answer 8

The presence of others who also resist pressures to obey can help others do the same.
These people act as models to show others that resistance to social influence is possible

Question 9

Social support: conformity

Answer 9

Unanimity in Asch’s research helped people to resist conformity
He added a dissenter that agreed with naive participant. Conformity levels then dropped
Naive participant had less pressure as he wasn’t the only one disagreeing with confederates

Question 10

Social support
Allen + Levine

Answer 10

They also found the same as Asch – in the presence of just one dissenter conformity decreased. This was even more shocking as in the study the dissenter war thick glasses and stated he couldn’t see the lines clearly
this shows how the dissenter eased pressures to conform allowing people to resist social influence.

Question 11

Social support: obedience

Answer 11

Milgram conducted a variation in which he had a disobedient confederate in the room with the naive participant. The disobedient confederate refused to follow orders of experimenter
Obedience for naive P fell from 65% to 10%
It increased resistance to obedience because the P felt less pressure as there was someone else refusing

Question 12

Social support
Further evidence: Gamson et al

Answer 12

Gamson found higher levels of resistance to obedience because they were in groups and peer support is linked to greater resistance
88% of Ps rebelled and disobeyed authority due to addition of other disobedient confederates

Question 13

Strength of social support
Supportive research

Answer 13

P: supportive research
E: Gamson found higher levels of resistance to obedience because they were in groups. 88% of Ps disobeyed authority due to addition of disobedient confederates
C: makes explanation more reliable as different studies have all found consistent findings to show that social support helps people resist social influence

Question 14

Minority influence

Answer 14

Minority persuades others to adopt their beliefs attitudes and behaviours
Leads to internalisation

Question 15

Main process of minority influence

Answer 15

1. Consistency - same view over long period of time. People need to be synchronic
2. Commitment- dedication to their cause and makes personal sacrifices
3. Flexibility - wiling to accept + consider counter arguments. Less of putting for majority

Question 16

Minority influence
Moscovici’s study

Answer 16

Lab experiments
Ps we’re in a group were there were 2 confederates and 4 Ps
Everyone was shows 36 blue slides, each with a different shade of blue
Asked whether slide was blue or green
Confederates said green on 2/3s of trials
Number of times Ps said green was observed

Question 17

Moscovivi’s findings

Answer 17

Consistent minority caused 8% of Ps to say green
Inconsistent minority caused 1% of Ps to say green

Question 18

Strength of minority influence
Lab setting

Answer 18

P: research conducted in lab setting; Moscovivi’s study
E: high control of EVs. Standardised procedures eg using same 36 slides
C: can establish C+E relationship eg inconsistent minority decreased influence on majority. Standardised procedures makes study reliable

Question 19

Strength of minority influence

Answer 19

P: supportive studies
E: results from meta analysis: combination of studies studying MI found that consistent minorities were most effective
C: highlights that consistency is a major factor in MI, supportive psychological theories regarding MI

Question 20

Limitation of minority influence
Lab setting

Answer 20

P: conducted in a laboratory setting eg Moscovici
E: artificial environment so it’s highly controlled
C: lacks ecological validity so findings can’t be generalised to a real life environment. Doesn’t tell us much about MI in real life

Question 21

Limitation of minority influence
Sample

Answer 21

P: research eg Moscovici used an all female sample
E: the sample is gynocentric so it doesn’t tell us about MI in men. So can’t generalise findings to men
C: creates beta bias so we don’t know if men would be influenced in the same way

Question 22

Social change

Answer 22

When a society adopts a new way of behaving which then becomes widely accepted as the norm
Always starts with a minority

Question 23

Conditions necessary for social change

Answer 23

1. Drawing attention to the issue
2. Role of cognitive conflict
3. Consistency
4. Augmentation principle
5. Snowball effect

Question 24

Drawing attention to the issue

Answer 24

If we are exposed to the views of a minority then this draws our attention

Question 25

Role of cognitive conflict

Answer 25

As a result of the conflict we examine the minorities arguments closely. We think more deeply about the meaning of it

Question 26

Consistency

Answer 26

Minorities are more influential when fighting for social change if they are consistent.
They express their argument over a long period of time

Question 27

The augmentation principle

Answer 27

If there are risks involved in putting forward an argument then whose who express those views are taken more seriously

Question 28

The snowball effect

Answer 28

Over time people will switch views from majority to minority
The more this happens the faster social change as the minority view becomes majority view and thus social change has occurred

Question 29

Limitation of social change

Answer 29

P: not all attempts of social change result in change even though all 5 factors have occurred
E: certain movements eg environmental issues have negative connotations eg tree huggers that people don’t want to be associated with even though they agree with their views
C: it doesn’t explain why this occurs contradicting the theory of social change

Question 30

Strength of social change
Real life application

Answer 30

P: real life application
E: the suffragettes drew attention to the issue by organising numerous campaigns eg window smashing. Cognitive conflict was that they thought women should have right to vote. Augmentation principle is that Emily Davison killed after she stepped in front of kings horse. Snowball effect was in 1928 women over 18 had right to vote
C: increases understanding of social change