Social Support

• :) RTS Albrecht

  > evaluated an 8-week programme to help pregnant adolescents resist peer pressure to smoke

  > social support provided by slightly older mentor

  > found that those with a 'buddy' were significantly less likely to smoke

  > suggests that social support is a valid and useful explanation - it can be used as part of intervention
• :( other factors

  > other factors affect the likelihood of resisting social influence through social support, such as the credibility of the ally

  > if the model is not seen as credible, the individual will not identify with them, so will not resist social influence

  > suggests that social support is more complex, which lowers the validity of the explanation
• :) RTS Milgram

  > in one of the variations, the participant was paired with two confederates also playing the role of teachers

  > the confederates refused to go on and withdrew early

  > the participants who proceeded to 450V dropped to 10% from 65%

  > supports social support