Resistance to Social Influence

Question 1

what is resistance to social influence

Answer 1

the ability to withstand social pressures to conform

Question 2

what are the two explanations for resisting social influence

Answer 2

• social support
• locus of control (LoC)

Question 3

what is social support

Answer 3

the presence of people who resist pressure to conform or obey can help others to do the same

Question 4

what is locus of control

Answer 4

• the sense we each have about what directs events in our life

Question 5

how does social support lead to someone resisting conformity

Answer 5

• the presence of another person who doesnt conform acts as a model
• this gives the individual more confidence to reject the views of the majority aswell

Question 6

explain research that supports the role of social support in resisting conformity

Answer 6

asch

• in one of his variations he found that an ally leads to lower levels of confomity
• he instructed one confederate to give the right answer
• conformity went from 36.5% to 5%

Question 7

how does social support lead to someone resiting obedienbce

Answer 7

• the disobedient individuals act as role models

Question 8

explain research which supports the role of social support in resisting obedience

Answer 8

milgram

• the real participant was teamed with two other supposed participants
• one of them announced they would stop after 150 volts and the other refused at 210 volts
• obedience dropped from 65% to 10%

Question 9

what are the two types of locus of control

Answer 9

• internal
• external

Question 10

explain internal locus of control

Answer 10

believe they have strong control over events in their life and take responsibility for their actions

Question 11

explain external locus of control

Answer 11

believe events are caused by other forces such as luck or fate

Question 12

how does LoC affect people comforming and obeying

Answer 12

• people with an external LoC are more likely to obey and conform

Question 13

how does LoC influence resistance

Answer 13

• high internals seek out information so rely less on other people
• they have confidence

Question 14

explain a study that supports the idea of locus of control

Answer 14

avtgis

• meta anyalysis of studies involving LoC and resisting conformity
• found individuals with an internal LoC were less persuadable and less likely to conform
• aupporting the idea that differences in LoC is linked to the differences in ability to resist social influence

Question 15

explain a study that discredits the locus of control theory

Answer 15

twenge et al

• meta analysis comparing young perople between 1960 and 2002
• found pople have become more resistant to obedience but mre external
• this goes against locus of control as you would expect the opposite

Question 16

strength

give a PEELH for social support

conformity

Answer 16

• P - research support for recistance to conformity
• Eg - asch did a variation of hgis study where he included a disenter that went against the majority. conformity dropped from 36.8% to 5.5%
• Ex - this suggests the prrsence of soemone who resists the poressures to cofnorm helpos others do the same, acting as a model
• L - this supportys the soaiucl support theory providing validity for the theory
• H - aschs study was done in an artififical setting using a trivial task so the findings may lack ecological validity

Question 17

strength

give a PEELH for social support

obedience

Answer 17

• P - rresearch support for resisitng obedience
• Eg - milgram did a variation of his study where the real participant was matched with two fake participants.. one stopped at 150V and the other at 210V. obedience dropped from 65% to 10%
• Ex - the presence of other people disobeying gave the participant confidence to reset themselves
• L - this strengthens the idea that social support plays a key role in helping inidivioduals resist socialm influence
• H - the setting was highly controlled so the finding may not reflect how people resist authority in real life

Question 18

strength

give a PEELH for Locus of control

Answer 18

• P - supporting evidence
• Eg - avtgis et al conducted a meta analysis comparing studies involcing locus of control and resisitingh conformity. it was found those with an internal LOC where less persuadable and less likely to conform
• Ex - thios supports the idea that those who see themselves as in control of their own behaviour are more confident, making them more resitant to social pressure
• L - this increases the validity of the thoery
• H - a meta analysis relies on the quality of the included sturies whioch may vary in methodology or control

Question 19

limitation

give a PEELH for Locus of control

Answer 19

• P - discrediting evidence
• Eg - twenge et al conducted a meta analysis comapring young people between 1960 and 2002. he found that people are becoming more external yet more resistant to obedience
• Ex - this challenges the idea that an internal locus of control is necessary for resistance to social influence
• L - this raises questions about the universality of the theory, suggesting other factors may contribute to resistenmce to social influence
• H - this may be due to societal cganges rather than a direct contradiction of the LOC theory