Resistance to Social Influence

• Social Support- Resisting Conformity

  The pressure to conform can be resisted when others who are present are not conforming. As seen in Asch's research, the dissenter may not be giving the 'right answer', but the fact they aren't following the majority is social support. This enables p's to act freely and follow their own conscious. Dissenters act as a model of independent behaviour, showing the majority are no longer unanimous.
• Social Support- Resisting Obedience

  The pressure to obey can be resisted if there is another person who is seen to be disobeying. In one of Milgram's variations, obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when genuine p's were joined by a disobedient confederate. The p may not follow the same behaviour, but the confederate acts as a model of dissent. Freeing them to act according to their own conscious. The confederate challenges the legitimate authority figure, making it easier for others to disobey.
• AO3: Social Support; Real-World Research Support

  Albrecht et al evaluated Teen Fresh Start USA, an 8-week programme to help pregnant adolescents aged 14-19 to resist peer pressure to smoke. Social support was provided by a slightly older mentor (a 'buddy'). At the end of the programme, those with a 'buddy' were significantly less likely to smoke than the control group- showing social support can help resist social influence in real-life scenarios.
• AO3: Social Support; Research Support for Dissenting Peers

  Gamson et al told p's to produce evidence that could be used to help an oil company run a smear campaign (intentional to undermine a group's reputation). Researchers found higher levels of resistance in their study than in Milgram's; p's were able to discuss what they would do. Causing 29 out of 33 groups to rebel against their orders- showing that peer support can lead to disobedience by undermining the legitimacy of an authority figure.
• AO3: Social Support Explanation

  Allen and Levine showed that social support can help individuals to resist the influence of a group. In an Asch-style study, when the dissenter was someone with 'good eyesight', 64% of p's didn't conform. When there was no support, only 3% resisted. Though this study showed social support isn't always helpful; when the dissenter had obviously 'bad eyesight' resistance was only 36%.
• Locus of Control

  Rotter proposed the LOC as a concept concerned with the internal control versus external control.

  Internal LOC- believe the things that happen to them are largely controlled by themselves and their personal efforts.

  External LOC- believe that things that happen are outside of their control, or see it as bad luck.
• The LOC Continuum

  People aren't just internal or external, LOC is a scale and individuals vary in their position on it. High internal and high external are on either end, low internal and low external lie in the middle.
• LOC: Resistance to Social Influence

  People with high internal LOC are more likely able to resist pressures as they take personal responsibility for their actions and experiences- they wouldn't want to base their actions on the opinions of others. They also tend to be more self-confident and achievement-orientated with a higher intelligence. These are traits which lead to greater resistance, and those with a lesser need for social approval.
• AO3: LOC; Research Support

  Holland repeated Milgram's baseline study and measured whether p's were internals or externals. Found that 37% of internals didn't continue to the highest shock level (showed some resistance)- whereas only 23% of externals didn't continue (showing less resistance). This shows that resistance is partially related to LOC, increasing the validity of this explanation.
• AO3: LOC; Contradictory Evidence

  Twenge et al analysed data from American LOC studies conducted over a 40-year period. Data showed that, over this time span, people became more resistant to obedience- but also more external. If resistance is linked to LOC, we would expect more people to be internals- suggesting LOC isn't a temporally valid explanation for resistance to social influence.
• AO3: LOC; Limited Role of LOC

  Rotter points out that LOC isn't necessarily the most important factor in determining whether someone resists social influence. LOC's role depends on the situation. A person's LOC only significantly affects behaviour in new situations. If you have conformed and obeyed in the past, the chances are that you will act the same regardless of your LOC.