Social Influence - Resistance to Social Influence Flashcards
What is the definition of resistance to social influence?
Resistance to social influence refers to the ability of people to withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or to obey authority. This ability to withstand social pressure is influenced by both situational and dispositional factors.
What is the definition of social support?
Social support refers to the presence of people who resist pressures to conform or obey and can help others to do the same. These people act as models to show others that resistance to social influence is possible.
What is the definition of locus of control (LOC)?
Locus of control refers to the sense we each have about what directs events in our lives. Internals believe they are mostly responsible for what happens to them (internal locus of control). Externals believe it is mainly a matter of luck or other outside forces (external locus of control).
How does social support help people resist conformity?
Social support can help people to resist conformity. The pressure to conform can be reduced if other people are not conforming. For example, in Asch’s research, the presence of a dissenter reduced conformity. The fact that someone else is not following the majority appears to enable a person to be free to follow their conscience. However, Asch’s research also showed that if this ‘non-conforming’ person starts conforming again, so does the naïve participant.
How does social support help people resist obedience?
Social support can help people to resist obedience. The pressure to obey can be reduced if there is another person who is seen to disobey. In one of Milgram’s variations, the rate of obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when the participant was joined by a disobedient confederate. The person’s disobedience acts as a ‘model’ for the participant to copy that frees him to act from his own conscience.
What is the continuum in the locus of control (LOC) concept?
People differ in the way they explain their successes and failures but it isn’t simply a matter of being internal or external. There is a continuum with high internal LOC at one end and high external LOC at the other end, with low internal and low external lying in between.
How is locus of control linked to resistance to social influence?
eople who have an internal LOC are more likely to be able to resist pressures to conform or obey. If a person takes personal responsibility for their actions and experiences, they are more likely to base their decisions on their own beliefs and thus resist pressures from others. Another explanation is that people with high internal LOC tend to be more self-confident, more achievement-oriented, have higher intelligence and less need for social approval. These personality traits lead to greater resistance to social influence.
What is one evaluation point related to social support and resistance to conformity?
Research evidence supports the role of dissenting peers in resisting conformity. For example, Allen and Levine (1971) found that conformity decreased when there was one dissenter in an Asch-type study. More importantly, this occurred even if the dissenter wore thick glasses and had difficulty with his vision (so he was clearly in no position to judge the length of the lines). This supports the view that resistance is not just motivated by following what someone else says but it enables someone to be free of the pressure from the group.
What is one evaluation point related to social support and resistance to obedience?
Another strength is that there is research evidence that supports the role of dissenting peers in resisting obedience. Gamson et al. (1982) found higher levels of resistance in their study than Milgram. This was probably because the participants in Gamson’s study were in groups (they had to produce evidence that would be used to help an oil company run a smear campaign). In Gamson’s study, 29 out of 33 groups of participants (88%) rebelled. This shows that peer support is linked to greater resistance.
What is one evaluation point related to locus of control and resistance to obedience?
Research evidence supports the link between LOC and resistance to obedience. Holland (1967) repeated Milgram’s baseline study and measured whether participants were internals or externals. He found that 37% of internals did not continue to the highest shock level (i.e., they showed some resistance) whereas only 23% of externals did not continue. In other words, internals showed greater resistance to authority. Research support of this nature increases the validity of the LOC explanation and our confidence that it can explain resistance.
What is one evaluation point related to contradictory research on locus of control?
However, not all research supports the link between LOC and resistant behaviour. Twenge et al. (2004) analysed data from American locus of control studies over a 40-year period (1960 to 2002). The data showed that, over this time span, people have become more resistant to obedience but also more external. If resistance were linked to an internal locus of control, we would expect people to have become more internal. This challenges the link between internal LOC and increasing resistant behaviour. However, it is possible that the results are due to a changing society where many things are out of personal control.
