Social Influence - 04 Explanations of Resistance to Social Influence Flashcards
What is resistance to social influence?
The ability to withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or to obey authority
What are the two main explanations for resistance to social influence?
1-Locus of control
2-Social Support
What does locus of control refer to?
A person’s perception of personal control over their own behaviour
What is an internal locus of control?
-belief that we can control events in our life
-more likely to display independence in thought and behaviour
What is an external locus of control?
-Belief that what happens is determined by external factors things are largely out of their control
-more passive & fatalistic attitude less responsibility for actions
Which locus of control is more likely to be able to resist pressures to conform or obey?
Internal locus of control
Research support of LoC (Avtgis)
-Meta-analysis of studies into relationship between LoC and social influence
-Found externals easily persuaded, influenced and conforming than internals
-Supports idea that internals more independent in their behaviour
Weakness of LoC (cannot predict resistance to all types of social influence)
-LoC is related to NSI only
-Spector 157 students found correlation between LoC & predisposition to NSI, with externals more likely to conform to this influence than internals
-Found no such relationship for predisposition to ISI with LoC
Research support for resistance to obedience (Holland)
-Repeated Milgram’s study but looked at difference between internals and externals
-Found 37% of internals did not continue to highest shock (showed resistance)
-23% of externals did not continue
-so internals showed greater resistance to authority
Weakness of LoC (Change with the times)
-Young people increasingly external
-Twenge found young Americans believed in luck rather than own actions
–Problem as young people now less likely to resist social influence and more likely to blindly obey or conform
