Resistance to social influence

• Resistance to social influence

  The ability of people to withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or to obey authority
• Resistance to social influence

  • Influenced by both situational and dispositional factors
• Locus of control (LOC)

  The extent to which individuals believe that they can control events in their lives
• Locus of control

  • Internal
  • External
• Internal locus of control

  • Believe they are in control of their lives
  • Believe that things happen as a result of an individual's choices and decisions
  • More resistant to social pressure as they perceive themselves as having a free choice to conform or obey
• External locus of control

  • Believe that things happen to them which are out of their control
  • Believe that things happen as a result of luck, fate or other uncontrollable external forces
  • Tend to approach events with a more passive and fatalistic attitude, taking less personal responsibility for their actions
  • Harder to resist social influence as they feel they have to conform or obey
• research support

  Holland categorised participants as internals or externals based on their LOC and found that 37% of internals resisted continuing to the highest shock level, compared to 23% of externals, supporting LOC as an explanation for disobedience.
• Contradictory research

  Twenge found that People became more resistant to obedience over time but also more external, challenging the idea that resistance is linked to an internal locus of control.
• Social support

  Resistance to conformity or obedience by some can inspire others to resist social influence by acting as models, showing it is possible.
• Resisting conformity

  When someone goes against the majority in a group, even if they're not right, their action provides support, encouraging others to follow their beliefs, leading to more dissent.
• Resisting obedience

  Disobedience in an obedience situation can lower obedience rates by showing others how to resist authority, making it easier for them to challenge it.
• Real-world research support

  Albrecht found that Having a 'buddy' helped pregnant teens resist smoking peer pressure, showing that social support can help young people resist social influence.
• Research support for dissenting peers

  Peers in Gamson et al.'s study rebelled against orders, highlighting how peer support can encourage disobedience and challenge authority.