Situational Explanations Of Resistance To Social Influence

Question 1

What is the social support theory

Answer 1

A situational explanation of resistance to social influence.

Question 2

What does social support theory argue

Answer 2

That when a person refuses to conform / obey it makes it more likely that other people will also resist social influence + refuse to conform

Question 3

Why are people more likely to not conform if they have an ally who resists social influence & refuses to conform

Answer 3

This is bc the ally refusing to conform breaks the unanimity of the group
-> therefore, people think there are other, equally legit ways of thinking & responding
- the presence of an ally gives them an independent assessment of reality + makes the, more confident in their own decision

Question 4

Why are people more likely to defy an authority figure if they see a disobedient role model refusing to obey

Answer 4

Bc when a person rejects the authority figures instructions, it challenges the authority figure’s legitimate authority

Question 5

AO3 Social Support Theory (+) Milgram (1974)

Answer 5

65% of pps shocked Mr Wallace to 450 volts
-> when there was another confederate who acted as a disobedient role model & refused to shock Mr Wallace, only 10% of pps administered 450 volts

Question 6

Social support theory AO3 P2 (+) Asch 1951

Answer 6

Asch (1951) asked participants to say which of 3 test lines = same as standard
- 33% of trials = pp’s conform to the group + give wrong answer
- 5% conformity when one confederate = an ally to the pp & gave the right answer

Question 7

Social Support theory AO3 P3 (-)

Answer 7

Some pp’s were able to resist social influence & refuse to conform and obey even without social support in some of the studies
-> means that social support is not a complete explanation of resistance to social influence, other factors (e.g. personality, also plays a part