Explanations of Resistance to SI

Resistance to social influence occurs when the individual decides

• not to conform to the majority

• not to obey the orders of an authority figure

Define Resistance to social influence

Refers to people with the ability to withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or to obey authority

• this ability to withstand SI is influenced by situational and dispositional factors

Define Social support

The presence of people who resist social pressures to conform or obey and can help others to do the same and act as models

Who proposed the locus of control

Rotter 1996

Define Locus of Control

Locus of control (LOC) refers to the extent to which someone believes that they have control over - and responsibility for - their lives rather than attributing outcomes to external factors

Outline features of an individual who posses a high internal locus of control

• High internal LOC is evident in people who feel that they have control over their lives and responsibility for their behaviour

• People with a high internal LOC can resist pressure to conform and obey as they adhere to a high set of standards that they have designated themselves

• People with a high internal LOC tend to be self-confident, intelligent and achievement-orientated

Outline features of an individual who has an external locus of control

• High external LOC is evident in people who feel that they have no control over their lives and assume a lack of responsibility for their behaviour

• People with a high external LOC are less able to resist pressure to conform and obey as they believe that other, external factors determine their outcomes

• People with a high external LOC tend to lack confidence, feel insecure and have a high need for social approval

What are the strengths supporting the concept of Locus Control

Research Support

• Research link between LOC and resistance to obedience

• Holland (1967) replicated Milgram's 1963 study

• Results showed that internals showed greater resistance to authority in a Milgram type study

• This research shows that resistance is at least partly related to LOC, which increases the validity of LOC as an explanation for disobedience

What are the limitations of the concept of LOC

Reduced validity

• Rotter (1982) pointed out that LOC only seems to apply to new situations

• If someone has previously obeyed/conformed in one specific situation/set of circumstances, they will likely do so again, regardless of whether they have an internal or external LOC

• This reduces the validity of the theory to some extent

What are the strengths of the concept of social support (resisting conformity and obedience)

Real world research support - conformity

• Albrecht et al 2006, evaluated the program Teen Fresh Start USA, a program designed to help pregnant adolescents resit peer pressure to smoke

• Social support cam in the form of an older mentor, and at the end of the 8 week program, teens with a mentor were less likely to smoke than the control group who didn't have a buddy

• This shows that social support can help young people resist social influence as part of an intervention in the real world

Research support for dissenting peers - obedience

• Gamson et al 1982, Ps were told to produce evidence that would be used to help an oil company run a smear campaign

• The researches found higher levels of resistance in their study than Milgram did in his

  • this was likely because Ps were in groups and could discuss what they were told to do

• 88% rebelled

• This shows that peer support can lead to disobedience by undermining the legitimacy of an authority figure

Outline Holland's 1967 study's results where he repeated Milgram's original to measure ILOC and ELOC

• found that 37% of internals didn't continue to the highest shock level (showed some resistance)

• Where's only 23% of externals didn't continue

• Internals showed greater resistance in a milgram type situation

What is an internal locus of control (ILOC)

Individuals that believe the things that happens to them are largely in their control

What is an external locus of control

Individuals that believe the things that happen are outside of their control