Resistance to Social Influence: Key Factors and Evaluation

Resistance to social influence is a critical topic in psychology, particularly relevant for students studying A-level Psychology. This page explores two main factors that contribute to an individual's ability to resist social pressures: social support and locus of control.

Social Support in Resisting Conformity and Obedience

Social support plays a crucial role in helping individuals resist conformity and obedience pressures.

Definition: Social support refers to the presence of another person who does not conform to the majority or obey authority, providing a model of independent behavior.

In conformity situations:

• The presence of a non-conforming individual enables others to resist pressure to conform.
• This was demonstrated in Asch's research, where a dissenting confederate significantly reduced conformity rates.

In obedience scenarios:

• A disobedient person can help others resist pressure to obey authority.
• Milgram's variations showed that obedience rates dropped from 65% to 10% when a genuine participant was joined by a disobedient confederate.

Example: The Teen Fresh Start USA program, evaluated by Albrecht et al. (2006), demonstrated how social support from slightly older mentors helped pregnant adolescents resist peer pressure to smoke.

Locus of Control and Resistance to Social Influence

Locus of control (LOC), a concept proposed by Rotter (1966), is another significant factor in resistance to social influence.

Definition: Locus of control refers to the extent to which individuals believe they have control over events in their lives.

• Internal LOC: People believe they largely control their own lives.
• External LOC: People believe external factors control their lives.

Highlight: Individuals with high internal LOC are generally more able to resist pressures to conform or obey, as they take responsibility for their actions and base decisions on their own beliefs rather than others' opinions.

Evaluation of Resistance to Social Influence Theories

1. Research Support:

   • Gamson et al. (1982) showed that peer support led to higher levels of resistance against authority.
   • Holland (1967) found that individuals with internal LOC were more likely to resist obedience in a Milgram-style experiment.

2. Contradictory Findings:

   • Twenge et al. (2004) found that over 40 years, people became more resistant to obedience but also more external in their LOC, challenging the straightforward link between internal LOC and resistance.

3. Limitations:

   • The role of LOC may be limited to new situations, as familiar scenarios are more influenced by previous responses.

Evaluation: While social support and locus of control provide valuable insights into resistance to social influence, research suggests that their effects may be context-dependent and not universally applicable.

This comprehensive overview of resistance to social influence highlights the complexity of the topic and the need for nuanced understanding in A-level Psychology studies.