Resistance to social influence

• Resistance to conformity

  Pressure to conform can be resisted if there's other people there that are not conforming. In Asch research the confederate may not be giving the right answer. Social support allows the naive pps to follow their own conscience, as the confederate acts as role model for being independent and their dissent gives a rise to more dissent as it shows the majority is no longer unanimous. 
• Resisting obedience

  Pressure to obey can be resisted if there are other people that are not obeying. Milgram study obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when the genuine pps was joined by a disobedient confederate. The disobedient confederate acts as a role model for independent behaviour so it allows the genuine pp to act on their own conscience. The disobedient model challenges the legitimacy of authority making it easier to disobey.
• Strength research evidence to support the role of dissenting peers in resisting obedience. Gamson 1982 pps were told to produce evidence that would be used to help an oil company produce a smear campaign. Researchers found higher levels of resistance in the study compared to Milgram, due to the pps being able to discuss what they were told to do. 29/33 rebelled against the orders. It shows that peer support can lead to disobedience by undermining the legitimacy of authority.
• Strength positive effects of social support. Albrecht 2006 evaluated Teen USA start fresh which is an 8 week programme to help pregnant adolescents stop smoking. Social support was provided by a slightly older mentor, and the control group of the experiment had no mentor to help them resist to smoke. The teens that had a mentor were significantly less likely to smoke while pregnant compared to the ones without a mentor. It shows that social support can help young people resist pressure to perform negative behaviour.
• Locus of control

  It is a concept with internal and external control. Internal control of themselves whereas external due to control of fate. 

  The LOC continuum

  People are either internal or external. LOC is a scale and individuals vary in their position on it. High internal and external are at opposite ends of the scale but low internal and external are in the middle. 
• Resistance to social influence

  High internal LOC are more able to resist pressures as they take personal responsibility for their actions and base their decisions off their beliefs. High internally have high self-confidence and high intelligence and are more resistant towards conformity and obedience. These are characteristics of leaders and need less social approval.
• Research support

  Strength evidence to support the link between LOC and resistance to obedience. Holland 1967 repeated Milgram's baseline study and measured whether pps were internal or external. Found that 37% of internals did not continue to the highest shock level whereas 23% of externald did not continue to the highest shock level.internals showed greater level of resistance to Milgram type study. It shows resistance is partly related to LOC which increases the validity of LOC as an explanation of obedience.  
• Contradictory research

  Limitation evidence challenges the link of LOC and resistance. Twege 2004 analysed data from an American LOC study over a 40 yr period between 1960 to 2002. The data showed over time people have become more resistant and external, which is not expected. It would be expected that as resistance increased so would the amount  of internals. It suggests LOC is not a valid explanation of how people are resistant to social influence.