Explanations of resistance to social influence

• Locus of control


  A dispositional explanation of resistance to social influence. It refers to how much a person believes that they have control over their own behaviour.
• Internal locus of control

  A person with an internal locus of control is likely to resist social influence because they feel that they are in control over events.
• External locus of control

  A person with an external locus of control is less likely to resist social influence because they feel that they are not in control over their life.
• Social support


  A situational explanation of resistance to social influence. It refers to the presence of people who resist pressures to conform or obey and can help others resist this pressure.
• Asch's research found that a non-conformist ally reduced conformity from a baseline of 37% down to 25%.
• Having supportive individuals around can make a significant difference in resisting social influence.