Resistance to Social Influence Flashcards
What are the 2 aspects of resisting social influence?
Locus of control
Social support
What is the locus of control?
It is a concept concerned with internal control vs external control
How is the locus of control measured?
On a continuum
What do people with an external locus of control believe?
That their successes/failures are down to factors that are out of their control
What do people with an internal locus of control believe?
That their successes/failures are down to their actions
Which end of the spectrum makes people more likely to resist social influence?
Internal because they’re more likely to take responsibility for their actions so they base their decisions on their own beliefs T/F resist pressure
Which end of the spectrum are people likely to be more self-confident?
Internal
What is social support?
When there is another person who shares your views
What does social support help to resist?
Conformity and obedience
What is the research support for social support and resistance to conformity?
Allen and Levine found that conformity decreases when there was one dissenter (in an Asch-like study)
Even when the dissenter said he had poor vision conformity still decreased
What is the research support for social support and resistance to obedience?
Gamson et al. found higher levels of resistance in their study than Milgram (they had to produce evidence that would be used to help an oil company run a smear campaign) because they were in groups.
88% rebelled
What is the research support for locus of control?
Holland repeated Milgram’s study and measured whether the ppts were internal or external.
23% of externals did not continue to highest shock
37% of internals did not continue to highest shock
What does the research support for locus of control show?
Good validity
What is the contradictory research for locus of control?
Twenge analysed data from USA locus control studies over a 40yr time period. The data showed that people have become more resistant to obedience but also more external
Challenges the link between internal LOC and increasing resistance behaviour
