Social support

• Social support-

  -The presence of people who resist pressures to conform/obey can help others to do the same

  -These people act as models and show others that resistance to social influence is possible
• What happened to Asch's results when he introduced a dissenting other?

  -When asch introduced a dissenter to group, conformity dropped from 36.8% to 5.5%

  -Simply having someone else who is not following majority appears to enable the individual to be free and act on their own conscience
• What might happen to Milgrams results if he introduced a disobedient other?

  -When Milgram introduced a disobedient ppt, obedience dropped from 65% to 10%
• Resisting conformity-

  -Pressure to conform can be resisted if there are other people present who aren't conforming

  -Someone else who is not following majority provides social support and enables individual to be free to follow their own conscience

  -Social support breaks unanimity of majority and makes it easier to dissent
• Resisting obedience-

  -Pressure to obey can be resisted if there is another person who is seen to disobey

  -Disobedient person act as 'model' of dissent to be copied and frees an individual to act from their own conscience

  -Disobedient model challenges legitimacy of authority figure, making it easy for others to disobey
• Strength- Asch

  -In Asch's variation when a dissenter gave a different answer from the majority, conformity dropped from 33% to 5%

  -Suggesting social support breaks the unanimous majority, making it easier to resist group pressure
• Strength- Milgram

  -In Milgram's variation, when a disobedient confederate was present, obedience fell from 65% to 10%

  -Demonstrates how seeing someone else resist authority gives others the confidence to do the same
• Strength - Practical applications

  -Social support strategies are used in health campaigns and social change movements to encourage resistance
• Weakness- Ecological validity

  -Many supporting studies (Asch and Milgram) are conducted in artifical lab settings, which may not reflect real world situations where resistance occurs