resistance to social influence

What is resistance to social influence?

This refers to the ability of people to withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or to obey authority.

What is social support?

The idea that an individual has assistance from other people and they are part of a supportive network

How does social support explain resistance to conformity?

• Pressure to conform can be resisted if there are other people present who aren’t conforming

• Breaks the unanimous position of the majority

• Enables the naive participant to be free to follow their own conscience

• Th dissenter acts as a ‘model’ of independent behaviour - their dissent gives rise to more dissent because the majority is no long unanimous

Evidence for social support as an explanation to resist conformity

Asch’s variations

• Conformity reduced to 5% when one confederate gave a different answer

Albrecht et al. (2006) - evaluated Teen Fresh start USA, an 8 week programme to help pregnant adolescents to resist peer pressure to smoke

• Social support provided by a mentor or ‘buddy’

• People who had a buddy were significantly less likely to smoke than a control group without buddy

• High mundane realism

How does social support explain obedience?

• Pressure to obey can be rested if there are other people present who disobey

• Challenges the legitimacy of authority

• The dissenter’s disobedience acts as a ‘model’ of dissent for the participant to copy - frees him to act from his own conscience

Evidence for social support as an explanation to resist obedience

Milgram’s variations

• obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when the participant was joined by a disobedient confederate

Gamson et al. (1982) - participants were told to produce evidence that would be used to help an oil company run a smear campaign

• Higher levels of resistance than Milgram - participants in groups - can discuss

• 29 out of 33 groups of participants (88%) rebelled against their orders

What is Locus of control?

• Rotter (1966)

• A person’s perception of personal control over their own behaviour

• Measured on a continuum of high internal to high external

High internal - believes that their life is determined by their ow decisions and efforts

High external - believes that their life is determined by fate, luck and external factors

How does the LOC explain resistance to conformity and obedience?

High internal LOC

• Base their decisions on their own beliefs rather than depending on the opinions of others - take personal responsibility of their actions

• More self confident, achievement oriented and higher intelligence - greater resistance

• Characteristics of a leader - much less need for social approval

Evidence for LOC as an explanation to resist conformity

Spector (1983) - used Rotter’s LOC scale on 157 students

• High internal LOC were less likely to conform than those with a high external LOC, but only in situations of NSI

• No difference between the 2 groups for ISI

Evidence for LOC as an explanation to resist obedience

Holland (1967) - repeated Milgram’s study and measured whether participants were internals or externals

• 37% of internals didn’t continue to the highest shock

• Only 23% of externals didn’t continue

• Internals showed greater resistance

• Increases the validity of the LOC explanation and our confidence that can explain resistance