1b. Evaluation for resistance to social influence

What are the strengths of social support?

Strengths of social support=

• Real-world research support

• research in various contexts showing its effects

Why is real-world research support a strength of social support?

Real-world research support is a strength of social support= One strength is research evidence for the positive eff ects of social support. For example, Susan Albrecht et al. (2006) evaluated Teen Fresh Start USA, an eight-week programme to help pregnant adolescents aged 14–19 resist peer pressure to smoke. Social support was provided by a slightly older mentor or ‘buddy’. At the end of the programme adolescents who had a ‘buddy’ were significantly less likely to smoke than a control group of participants who did not have a ‘buddy’. This shows that social support can help young people resist social influence as part of an intervention in the real world.

Why is research in various contexts showing its effects, a strength of social support?

Research in various contexts showing its effects, a strength of social support=

Asch’s ‘unanimity’ variation that introduced a dissenting confederate and Milgram’s ‘presence of allies’ variation that introduced 2 dissenting “teachers,” both resulted in lower conformity and obedience rates respectively, showing the effect of social support in resisting social influence. Both studies show that individuals that feel that they are part of supportive network have more confidence to resist the effects of social influence. Thid research support suggests external validity of the idea.

What are the limitations of social support?

Limitations of social support=

alternative explanations. e.g strengths of LOC

What is the strength of LOC?

Strength of LOC=

Avtgis (1998) carried out a meta-analysis of studies of the relationship between locus of control and different forms of social influence, including conformity. This showed a significant positive corelation for the relationship between scores of internality/ externality and scores on measures of persuasion, social influence and conformity. The analysis showed that individuals who scored higher on external locus of control tend to be more easily persuaded, more easily influenced and more conforming than those who score as internal in terms of locus of control. Therefore, using locus of control to explain resistance to both conformity and obedience is strengthened as an explanation.

What is the limitation of LOC?

Limiration of LOC=

However, locus of control is related to normative but not informational influence Spector (1983) measured locus of control and predisposition to normative and informational influence in 157 undergraduate students. He found a significant correlation between locus of control and predisposition to normative social influence, with externals more likely to conform to this form of influence than internals. However, he found no such relationship for predisposition to informational social influence, with locus of control not appearing to be a significant factor in this type of conformity. Spector concluded that externals would conform more than internals in situations of normative pressure but would not conform more in situations of informational pressure. This is a weakness as it goes against one of the features of having an internal LOC’ that internals gather their own information