Resistance To Social Influence

Question 1

What are the two explanations for resistance to social influence?

Answer 1

1.) Social support - situational explanation
2.) Locus of control - dispositional explanation (Internal LOC/External LOC)

Question 2

What is meant by social support being a reason for why people may resist obedience or conformity?

Answer 2

• Social support involves being in the presences of others who go against the authority figure (obedience) and/or the majority behaviours / beliefs in a group (conformity).
• The others resisting authority or the majority act as a model for others to follow them and also resist social influence.

Question 3

What is the AO3 evaluation to social support?

Answer 3

Strengths:
- Gamson —> pps (who were placed in groups together) were told by an authorative figure to produce evidence for an oil company for a smear campaign. Findings : high levels of resistance with 88% rebelling against the instructions given. This shows that peer support can lead to disobedience.
- Positive real life application —> Albrecht evaluated the Teen Fresh Start, USA (an 8 week programme to help pregnant 14-19 year olds resist peer pressure to smoke). Social support was provided by a slightly older buddy/mentor. After 8 weeks, they found that those who had social support (buddy) were less likely to smoke than the control group who didn’t have a buddy.

Question 4

What is a locus of control and who created the concept?

Answer 4

ROTTER:
- Locus of control refers to a persons perception of personal control over their own behaviour. It is a personality (dispositional) explanation!
- Ti is measured on a scale/continuum of high internal to high external.

Question 5

What is a high internal locus of control?

Answer 5

• An individual who believes their life is determined by their own decisions and efforts.
• High internals actively seek out information which will help them personally and they are less likely to rely on others.
• More achievement orientated and more likely to resist pressure from others.

Question 6

What is a high external locus of control?

Answer 6

• An individual who believes their life is determined by fate, luck and external factors.
• More likely to be influenced by others as they don’t believe they exercise personal control over their lives.
• Likely to resist pressure from others.

Question 7

What is the AO3 evaluation for locus of control?

Answer 7

Strengths:
- Holland repeated Milgram’s baseline research and also measured if pps had an internal or external LOC.
- He found 37% of internals did not continue to the highest shock level (resisting social influence), whereas 23% of externals showed resistance by refusing the highest shock level. In other words, internals showed greater resistance to authority in a Milgram-type situation.
Limitations:
- Twenge analysed data from American LOC studies conducted over a 40 year period, finding that over this time period, people became more resistant to obedience but also more external. This suggests that LOC is not a valid explanation of how people resist social influence, as you would expect people to be more internal if they are resistant.