Social Influence - Explanations Of Resistance To Social Influence Flashcards
What is resistance to social influence?
The ability of people to withstand social pressure to conform the majority or obey authority
What is resistance to social influenced by?
Social support & Locus of Control (LoC)
What is social support in regards to conformity?
Pressure can be reduced to conform if there are other people present who aren’t conforming
Breaks the unaminity of the group as the ‘non conformed’ acts a model to which the person can be independent
If social support long lasting in regards to conformity?
No as in Asch’s research if the ‘non-conforming’ person is to conform to the group again, the participant also conformed
What is social support in regards to obedience?
Pressure to obey is reduced if there is someone else also disobeying
The disobedient person acts as a model for the person to copy which frees them to act independently
How is social support shown in regards to resistance to authority?
Milgram’s variations - when the genuine participant was joined by a disobedient confederate, obedience dropped from 62.5% to 10%
What does research support show in regards to resistance to conformity?
Allen & Levine - conformity reduced when dissenting partner wore glasses & admitted to having a sight issue on a study involving visual judgements - suggests dissenters help resist social influence even when they’re not skilled in particular situations
Asch - social support is more effective when received earlier rather than later. Start - 32%-5% whereas Later - 32-8.5%
What does research support show in regards to resistance to obedience?
Milgrams variations - confederate teachers refused to obey and real participants commented ‘I didnt realise i could refuse to obey’ - disobedient models can be seen as a form of conformity (create group norm to follow)
Mullen et al - found when disobedient individuals broke the law by jaywalking, participants were more likely to jaywalk themselves as opposed to by themselves - supports idea that disobedient model increase resistance to social influence
What is Locus of Control?
A personality dimension identified by Rotter
The extent to which people perceive themselves as being in control of their lives
What is an internal locus of control?
An individual who believes that their own life is determined by their own decisions & efforts
What is an external locus of control?
An individual who believes that their life is determined by fate, luck or external factors
What did Rotter believe about having an internal locus of control?
Makes them more resistant to social pressures as they are more likely to see themselves as having the choice to conform/obey
What are some examples of research into locus of control?
Spector - gave LOC scale to 157 uni students & found that participants with high external LOC did conform more than low external LOC but only in situations which produced NSI. Both types didnt conform in situations that produced ISI - suggests that people with less need for acceptance in a social group are more likely to to resist social influence
Moghaddam - found Japanese people conform more easily & have more external LOC - suggests difference in resistance to social influence across cultures
What is the contradictory research?
Twinge et al = meta-analysis of data from American obedience studies over 40 years - data showed people have become more resistant to social influence but people more external - if resistance was linked to internal LOC we would expect more internal
Challenges link between internal LOC & increasing resistant behaviour - possible results due to a challenging society where many things are out of personal control
