SOCIAL INFLUENCE - Social Support Flashcards
What is social support an explanation of in terms of social influence?
Resistance to social influence
Social support AO1
• One reason that people resist the pressure to conform is if they have someone supporting their point of view as it can build confidence and allow individuals to remain independent.
• Normative social influence is avoided as people who have support for their point of view no longer fear being ridiculed.
• However, if the supporter/dissenter returns to conformity, then so does the participant – social support is short term.
• Individuals who have support for their point of view are less likely to obey orders and feel more suited to resisting pressure.
• Conformity decreases even when there is only one dissenter present – Asch’s study saw conformity rates dropped to 5.5% when there was one correct dissenter and to 9% when there was one incorrect dissenter.
• This is because when a non-conforming person is present, this allows people to be free to follow their conscience.
• Obedience decreases when there is one person present who disobeys – one of Milgram’s variations in his study saw that obedience rates fell from 65% to 10% when a disobedient confederate was present.
• Gamson et al study
Why does having someone support your point of view help to resist the pressure to conform?
It can build confidence and allows individuals to remain independent and helps them become less likely to obey orders and feel more suited to resisting pressure.
What type of social influence is being avoided in social support and why?
Normative social influence- people who have support for their point of view no longer fear being ridiculed
Social support is short-term - why?
if the supporter/dissenter returns to conformity, then so does the participant – social support is short term
Conformity rates decrease when there is only one dissenter present. Give examples of research studies where this has been observed.
Asch’s study saw conformity rates dropped to 5.5% when there was one correct dissenter and to 9% when there was one incorrect dissenter.
Why does having just one dissenter constitute social support and helps resist social influence?
when a non-conforming person is present, this allows people to be free to follow their conscience.
Obedience rates decrease when there is just one disobeyer. Give research support to back this.
one of Milgram’s variations in his study saw that obedience rates fell from 65% to 10% when a disobedient confederate was present.
Social support AO3
• Research support (+) – In Asch’s study, just one dissenter in the study was enough to drop conformity rates to 5.5% and in Milgram’s study, just one disobedient confederate who refused to administer shocks dropped obedience rates to 10%. Both studies show the power of social support in resisting social influence.
• High ecological validity (+) – Gamson et al’s study had high ecological validity as participants were unaware they were in a psychological study and so could not show demand characteristics and the task given to them was very real to life.
• Group size (-) – Social support theory is only applicable to group sizes under 10, where one dissenter present can influence resistance to social influence. In the real world, group sizes are much bigger and having just one dissenter will not have any influence on the majority therefore social support is restricted to small group sizes and not larger groups in the real world.
What are the 3 evaluation points for social support?
Research support, high ecological validity, group size
What are the strengths of social support in explaining resistance to social support?
• Research support (+) – In Asch’s study, just one dissenter in the study was enough to drop conformity rates to 5.5% and in Milgram’s study, just one disobedient confederate who refused to administer shocks dropped obedience rates to 10%. Both studies show the power of social support in resisting social influence.
• High ecological validity (+) – Gamson et al’s study had high ecological validity as participants were unaware they were in a psychological study and so could not show demand characteristics and the task given to them was very real to life.
What is the weakness of social support in explaining resistance to social influence?
• Group size (-) – Social support theory is only applicable to group sizes under 10, where one dissenter present can influence resistance to social influence. In the real world, group sizes are much bigger and having just one dissenter will not have any influence on the majority therefore social support is restricted to small group sizes and not larger groups in the real world.
