A03

• limitation- contradictory evidence

  • Contradictory evidence to LOC found via meta-analysis of obedience studies in America over 40 years. People are becoming more resistant to social influence however people are having more external locus of control. This decrease’s reliability of theory suggesting it may also lack temporal validity. The use of a meta-analysis with a large sample size increases its reliability in contradicting theory.
  • however may not be standardised, consistant studies
• strength- RWA to social support

  • a researcher evaluated teen fresh start USA where it teaches pregnant teens to resist the peer pressure of smoking. Those who had a buddy helping them were less likely to smoke than those without help. This can be applied to real life scenarios to improve health of babies- encouraging smoking mums to gain social support
  • however this research may be subject to social desirability bias; teens could be acting due to fear of embarrassment as it damaged baby however may continue privately when not being judged by peer.
• limitation- social support not always applicable

  • individuals must trust their support to see more resistance. For example, in an Asch like study, when dissenter had thick glasses which suggested poor eyesight, resistance to conformity was only 36%.
  • Suggesting limited explanation as the support must be specific, must trust or view the support as a role model.
• limitation-LOC limited explanation

  • which only explains new situations, little influence over familiar situations where previous experiences are more important eg learning via consequences. For example, if an individual resisted authority in the past and had negative consequences, unlikely to repeat than behaviour again(punishment)
  • Therefore, loc is a limited explanation which can only be applied to certain scenarios. In addition, to gather someone’s LOC would primarily be based on self-report which is always vulnerable to sdb.