Evaluation - resistance to social influence

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    Created by
    Mads Orchard

    Cards (8)

    • Real-world research support
      Strength = there is research showing the positive effects of social support - e.g. Susan Albretch et al (2006) studied an eight-week program called Teen Fresh Start USA which helps pregnant teens aged 14-19 avoid peer pressure to smoke.
    • Real-world research support (2)

      Strength = The participants in the study received support from slightly older mentors or ‘buddies’ - at the end of the program those with a buddy were much less likely to smoke compared to a group without a buddy - shows that social support can help young people resist social influence.
    • Research support for dissenting peers

      Strength = research shows that dissenting peers help resist obedience - in William Gamson’s 1982 study participants were asked to crate evidence for an oil company’s smear campaign - unlike Milgrams study these participants were in groups and could discuss orders.
    • Research support for dissenting peers

      Strength (2) = As a result 29 out of 33 groups rebelled - shows that peer support can lead to disobedience by challenging the authority figures legitimacy.
    • Research support
      Strength = research supporting link between LOC and resistance to obedience - Charles Holland (1967) repeated Milgram’s study and measured if participants were internals or externals - found that 37% of internals resisted going into the highest shock level compared to 23% of externals.
    • Research support 

      Strength (2) = Holland’s results indicate that internals showed greater resistance to authority - this supports the idea that LOC is related to resistance increasing its validity as an explanation for disobedience.
    • Contradictory research 

      Limitation = evidence that challenges the link between LOC adn resistance - Jean Twenge et al (2004) analysed data from American LOC studies over 40 years - they found that people become more resistant to obedience but also more external.
    • Contradictory research 

      Limitation (2) = these results are surprising becuase if resistance is linked to an internal LOC we would expect people to become more internal - this suggests that LOC may not be a valid explanation for how people resist to social influence.
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