AO1 + AO3 RESISTANCE TO OBEDIENCE

what are the 2 reasons people resist obedience?

social support

locus of control

what is social support?

exposure to the actions of disobedient models encourages resistance

Milgram - social support

when confederates refused to go on, only 10% continued

Asch - social support

dropped from 37% to 5% when one confederate supported the participant

Outline Gamson et al

Ps were employed to collect opinions on moral standards of a public relations firm

asked to discuss a fictional situation of a man called 'Mr C' who was suing an oil company for unfair dismissal

Ps were asked to argue for and against Mr C and the researchers videotaped when they were arguing against him but not for him (they were being manipulated into making a tape of evidence supporting the oil company)

results Gamson et al

all but 4 groups refused to sign the contract for the company to use the tape

in some groups, Ps threatened to confiscate the tape

AO3 of Gamson et al

contradicted Milgram - there was successful resistance (29 out of 33)

spontaneous rebellion - no confederates and collective action (support)

AO3 OF SOCIAL SUPPORT

BETTER THAN LOCUS OF CONTROL

ethics

dispositional vs situational

moral implications and reasoning

ethics of SS

Gamson et al - planned 80 groups, only completed 33

many Ps felt anxious and stressed

dispositional vs situational

some dispositional aspects do influence (locus of control and authoritarian personality)

LIMITED EFFECTS

moral implications and reasoning

Kohlberg - those who used higher moral reasoning were more able to resist

what are the 2 types of locus of control?

Internal - more independent, more achievement orientated, attribute events to own control

external - more obedient, attribute events to external circumstance

what causes locus of control?

associated with family style and resources

many families emphasise the importance of internal belief

Schultz x2 - children with internal LOC come from families where self-discipline emphasised

Brehony and Geller

those with external LOC were more conforming

Holland

found no relationship between LOC and obedience

Blass (reanalysed Holland)

found those w/ internal LOC were more resistant to pressure to obey

Schurz

similar procedure to Milgram but with an ultrasound

80% pressed all 20 switches

found no relationship between LOC and resistance

AO3 OF LOC

behaviour being requested

personality and other characteristics

gender

behaviour being requested

situational = more important

if the behaviour being requested is recognised as moral wrong, resistance is easier

personality

differs very little from those who conform vs those who don't

gender

Linz and Semykina - women are more likely to be external and men are more likely to be internal

WEAK EXPLANATION