Resistance To Social Influence

Question 1

Reisitance to social influence

Answer 1

The ability to oppose the pressure to conform to a majority group or obey an authority figure by maintaining personal autonomy and integrity in their thoughts, decisions and actions

Question 2

Resistance to social influence : ASCH

Answer 2

Overall conformity rate across all critical trials was 32%. However there were significant individual differences.
-25% of participants resisted pressure to conform on every critical trial

Question 3

Resistance to social change: Milgrim

Answer 3

• overall obedience rate was 65%. However there were significant individual differences
• 35% of participants resisted pressure to obey by refusing to deliver the shocks up to 450v

Question 4

Situational explanation: social support

Answer 4

• defying the authority figure or majority opinion.
• associated with the diffusion of responsibility as the more people or disobey/ dissent the less severe the consequence

Question 5

Resistance to comformity

Answer 5

Individuals with a non conformist ally are more likely to resist conforming to group pressure as the ally breaks the groups unanimity. E.g. Asch: when one confederate broke unanimity by providing the correct response conformity dropped from 32% to 5.5%

Question 6

Resistance to obedience

Answer 6

Individuals with a disobedient role model are more likely to resist obeying the orders of an authority figure as the role model changes the ‘legitimacy of authority

Question 7

Social support evaluations: +

Answer 7

+ social support has been shown to help individuals resist pressure to obey. In milgrims variation when the other confederate teacher refused to continue at 150v and 210v conformity dropped from 65% to 10%
+ Allen and Levine found even when ppt had a dissenting ally ho claimed to have ‘really poor eye sight’ they still used the social support and conformity reduced (asch)

Question 8

Social support: -

Answer 8

• there are still some individuals who don’t conform or obey even when there is social support e.g. 10% of ppts in Milgrims variation and 5.5% in Aschs variation. This means the social support theory is incomplete so there may be other factors e.g. dispositional - locus of control or authoritarian personality

Question 9

Locus of control

Answer 9

Rotter (1966)- personality trait or belief regarding what people believe to be the causes of their experiences and factors that influence their successes and failures

Question 10

Internal LoC

Answer 10

Individual believes that they are responsible for the outcomes in their life. Success and failure is a result of their own effort and abilities. They’re more likely to take responsibility for their actions and resist social influence

Question 11

External LoC

Answer 11

Individuals believe that the outcome’s in their life are due to fate and luck. They feel less empowered to change their lives to resist social pressure

Question 12

LoC - evaluations: +

Answer 12

+/-: Holland (1967) replicated Milgrims study and focused on assessing if ppts had an internal or external LoC. 37% of those with an internal LoC refused to continue to the highest shock level compared to 23% of those with an external LoC. While this does suggest people with a high internal LoC are more likely to resist pressure to obey 63% of those with an internal LoC still obeyed therefore LoC is only a partial explanation of resistance to social influence

Question 13

LoC: evaluation: -

Answer 13

-: the relationship between LoC and resistance to social influence is only correlational as there are other related factors involved in resistance to social influence e.g. social anxiety, sense of personal morality. Individuals who see an action as morally wrong are likely to resist regardless of social pressures and social status as individuals with a higher social status may feel more empowered to resist social pressure.