Resistance to social influence- locus of control and social support

Question 1

resisting conformity

Answer 1

• when other people that aren’t conforming are present
• when someone isn’t following the majority it’s social support
• allows pp to follow their own conscience
• confederate acts as a model for independent behaviour

Question 2

resisting obedience

Answer 2

• when another person disobeys
• in milgrams study obedidenc decreased from 65%-10% when joined by disobedient confederate
• may not copy behaviour but allows for free flow of conscience
• ## disobedient model challenges obedient authority figure

Question 3

Rotter: internal locus of control

Answer 3

• believe things that happen to them are largely controlled by themselves

Question 4

Rotter: external locus of control

Answer 4

• believe things that happen to them are outside of their control

Question 5

The LOC continuum

Answer 5

• people aren’t just external or internal
• scale and individuals vary on it

Question 6

resistance to social influence

Answer 6

• high internal LOC more able to resist conformity or obey
• more likely to base their decisions on their own beliefs rather than that of others
• high internal LOC tend to be more self- confident, achievement orientated and higher intelligence
• more likely to resist social influence
• characteristics to leaders

Question 7

Evaluation social support strength: real world research support

Answer 7

• Albrecht et al. (2006) evaluated 8 week programme to help preg teens aged 14-19 resist peer pressure to smoke
• social support was provided by older mentor
• those who had a mentor were less likely to smoke compared to the control group who didn’t have a buddy

Question 8

Evaluation social support strength: research support for dissenting peers

Answer 8

• Gamson et al. pp were told to produce evidence to help a company run a smear campaign
• higher levels of resistance in that study than Milgram found in his
• pp were in groups so could discuss what to do
• 29/33 groups of pp rebelled against their orders
• peer support can lead to disobedience by undermining the legitimacy of authority figure

Question 9

Evaluation locus of control strength: research support

Answer 9

• Holland repeated milgrams baseline study and measured if pp were internal or externals
• 37% of internals didn’t continue to highest shock level
• 23% of externals didn’t continue
• internals showed greater resistance
• increased validity of LOC

Question 10

Evaluation locus of control limitation: contradictory research

Answer 10

• Twenge et al. analysed data from American locus of control studies over the span of 40 years
• over time people became more resistant to obedience and more external
• if resistance is linked to internal locus of control, we would expect people to become more internal