Resistance to Social Influence

• Social influence- both conformity and obedience
• Locus of control (Rotter, 1966)

  • Where a person places responsibility for outcomes in the life
• Internal LOC

  • Person controls their own decisions
  • More likely to be confident and motivated
  • More likely to resist social influence
• External LOC

  • Believe they have very little/ no control over their own lives
  • Tend to be passive and accepting of their circumstances
  • Less likely to resist social influence
• Conformity

  • Asch's ally- conformity dropped from 33% to 5.5%
  • Breaks unanimity
  • Provides the confidence to make their own decision
• Obedience

  • Ally acts as a role model
  • Ally liberates us from doing something we do not want to
  • Milgram: 65% to 10%
• Individual differences

  • High self-esteem (self-efficacy)/ no need for social approval (internal LOC) = less likely to go along with the group
• Composition of the group

  • If people in the group are perceived to have less knowledge/ status than the individual, it is easier to resist pressure (lack of internal LOC)
• Role of LOC may be exaggerated

  • Rotter et al (1982)
  • LOC is most important in new situations
  • Only explains a limited range of situations
• Contradictory research

  • Twenge et al (2004) analysed date from obedience studies between 1960-2002
  • People are more resistant to obedience, but more externally LOC
  • Resistance is not linked to internal LOC
  • May be due to changing societal factors
• Usefulness

  • Use separation techniques to avoid resistance