[Topic 7] Resistance to social influence

Question 1

What is social support?

Answer 1

• Social support is the perception that a person has assistance available from other people, and that they are part of a supportive network. Social support enables us to resist pressure from a majority to conform or obey
• In conformity, an important aspect of social support is that it breaks the unanimity of the majority.
• In obedience, disobedient peers act as role models on which a person can base their own behaviour,
• Defiant peers enable us to remove ourselves from situations where we are expected to obey

Question 2

What is Locus of control?

Answer 2

• A person’s perception of personal control of their own behaviour.
• People with strong internal LOC believe that what happens to them is largely a result of their own ability and effort.
• People with a strong external LOC believe that what happens to them is determined by external factors, such as the influence of others or luck
• Most people are neither strongly internal nor externals.
• Internals rely less on others which enables to resit social influence. Externals take less personal responsibility for their actions are less likely to display independent behaviours

Question 3

Evaluation 1: LOC helps us resist pressure to conform but not always

Answer 3

• LOC helps us resist pressure to conform but not always
• According to Spector, there is a correlation between LOC and a predisposition to normative social influence. However there is no correlation between LOC and a predisposition to informational social influence.
• Externals were more likely than internals to conform because of NSI but LOC was not a significant factor when conformity was the result of informational social influence.
• This suggests a high degree of internality is only helpful when conformity occurs to gain approval

Question 4

Evaluation 2: Social support does not have to be valid to be effective

Answer 4

• Social support does not have to be valid to be effective
• Even if our social support isn’t particularly convincing we can still use it to help us resit pressure to conform
• In Allen and Levine’s study, a dissenting confederate wore glasses with thick lenses during a visual task. Although this support was not valid given the nature of the task, conformity was reduced
• This suggests any form of social support is effective, but it is more effective when it is perceived as valid