Resistance to Social Influence

Question 1

What is social support?

Answer 1

• When one can resist pressure to conform/obey because they have an ally who supports their same view, they no longer fear ridicule and avoid NSI.
• They break the unanimity of the group and become unanimous in their decision making them less likely to be influenced

Question 2

How does social support affect conformity?

Answer 2

• Asch’s study
  
  • Dissenter with correct answer saw conformity fall to 5.5%
  • Dissenter with incorrect answer saw conformity fall to 9%

Question 3

How does social support affect obedience?

Answer 3

• Milgram’s Experiment
  
  • Obedience dropped from 65% → 10% when the pp was accompanied by a disobedient confederate

Question 4

Strengths of Social Support?

Answer 4

• Research Support
  
  • Aschs study, 5.5%
  • Milgrams study, 10%

Question 5

Weaknesses of Social Support?

Answer 5

• The group sizes are not realistic to the real world as you can have groups of 100
• One dissenter could not sway 100’s, these experiments are limited due to small group sizes
• More research would need to be done into resistance to social influence

Question 6

What is the Locus of Control?

Answer 6

Rotter (1966) - A persons perceived degree of control they have over their behaviour

Question 7

What is meant by having a high external locus of control?

Answer 7

One who sees their future and actions as a result of factors outside of their control, e.g luck or fate.

Question 8

What is meant by having an internal locus of control?

Answer 8

A stronger sense of control over their lives, active seekers of information, rely less on others opinion and are more likely to resist social influence

Question 9

How was this measured?

Answer 9

Rotter produced a questionnaire, high score was more external locus of control

Question 10

Strengths of Locus of Control - Oliner and Oliner

Answer 10

• Interviewed 2 groups of non-Jewish people who lived during the Holocaust
• Compared 406 who rescued Jews and 126 who didn’t
  
  • Group that rescued had an internal locus of control
  • Supports idea that internal LOC = more likely to take action

Question 11

Strengths of Locus of Control - Holland

Answer 11

• Repeated Milgrams study and measured whether pp’s were internal or external
  
  • 37% of internals did not go to the highest shock
  • 23% of externals did not continue
  • More internals stopped than externals

Question 12

Weaknesses of Locus of Control -

Answer 12

• People with high internal LOC who have conformed/obeyed in previous situations are still likely to do so again
• LOC is more related to NSI rather then ISI