Resistance to Social Influence
Explanation 1: Locus of Control
The term locus of control refers to a person’s perception of personal control over their
behaviour. It is a personality explanation.
People differ in their beliefs about whether the outcomes of their actions are dependent on
what they do (internal locus of control) or on events outside of their personal control
(external locus of control)
Internal locus of control External locus of control
- More able to resist social influence - Less able to resist social influence
- Can control events in our life - Things in life are largely out of our
control
- What happens to you is a
consequence of your ability and - Things just ‘happen to them’
effort
- Takes less personal responsibility for
- Take personal responsibility for actions
actions
- Less likely to be independent in
- More likely to be independent in thought and behaviour
thought and behaviour
- Hold a passive and fatalistic view
(believe in fate)
- High internals are active seekers of information that is useful to them and so are less
likely to rely on the opinions of others, making them less vulnerable to social influence.
- High internals are more achievement oriented and more likely to become leaders.
- High internals are better able to resist coercion from others.
Research in support:
Spector (1982) found a relationship between locus of control and leadership style. High internals
= more persuasive and goal oriented.
Hutchins and Etsy (1978) found that in a simulated prisoner of war camp, internals were
better able to resist the attempts of an interrogator to gain information. The more intense the
pressure, the greater the difference between the performance of internals and externals.
Explanation 2: Social Support
, Social support is the perception that an individual has assistance available from other
people, and that they are part of a supportive network.
These people act as models to show others that resistance to social influence is possible.
Conformity and social support: Asch
The pressure to conform can be reduced if there are other people present who are not
conforming. Asch demonstrated that the non-conforming individual doesn’t necessarily have to be
giving the right answer but simply the fact that someone else is not following the majority appears
to enable a person to be free to follow their own conscience. When he introduced a non-
conforming confederate conformity dropped from 32% to 5.5%. The confederate shows the
majority is no longer unanimous (all in agreement).
Obedience and social support: Milgram
The pressure to obey can be resisted if another person is seen to disobey. In one of Milgram’s
variations, the rate of obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when the genuine participant was
joined by a disobedient confederate. The disobedient person acts as a model of dissent for the
participant to copy and frees them to act from their own conscience. The disobedient confederate
challenges the legitimacy of the authority figure, making it easier for others to disobey.
A03
Point Evidence Conclusion
A strength for locus of Holland (1967) repeated Therefore, internals showed
control as an explanation Milgram’s original electric greater resistance to
for resistance to social shock study and also obedience, increasing the
influence is that there is measured whether internal validity of the
supporting evidence. participants had an internal theory as Holland’s
or external locus of control. research supports its claim.
He found 37% of internals
did not continue to the
highest shock and 23% of
externals did not continue
to the highest shock.
A limitation of locus of Not all research supports This therefore brings into
control as an explanation the link between the locus question the theory of
for resistance to social of control and social locus of control and its
influence is that there is influence resistance. ability to predict resistance
contradictory research. Twenge et al (2004) to social influence.
analysed data from Research has shown that
American locus of control over time people have
studies over a 40-year resisted obedience but
period. have become more
external, overthrowing the
Explanation 1: Locus of Control
The term locus of control refers to a person’s perception of personal control over their
behaviour. It is a personality explanation.
People differ in their beliefs about whether the outcomes of their actions are dependent on
what they do (internal locus of control) or on events outside of their personal control
(external locus of control)
Internal locus of control External locus of control
- More able to resist social influence - Less able to resist social influence
- Can control events in our life - Things in life are largely out of our
control
- What happens to you is a
consequence of your ability and - Things just ‘happen to them’
effort
- Takes less personal responsibility for
- Take personal responsibility for actions
actions
- Less likely to be independent in
- More likely to be independent in thought and behaviour
thought and behaviour
- Hold a passive and fatalistic view
(believe in fate)
- High internals are active seekers of information that is useful to them and so are less
likely to rely on the opinions of others, making them less vulnerable to social influence.
- High internals are more achievement oriented and more likely to become leaders.
- High internals are better able to resist coercion from others.
Research in support:
Spector (1982) found a relationship between locus of control and leadership style. High internals
= more persuasive and goal oriented.
Hutchins and Etsy (1978) found that in a simulated prisoner of war camp, internals were
better able to resist the attempts of an interrogator to gain information. The more intense the
pressure, the greater the difference between the performance of internals and externals.
Explanation 2: Social Support
, Social support is the perception that an individual has assistance available from other
people, and that they are part of a supportive network.
These people act as models to show others that resistance to social influence is possible.
Conformity and social support: Asch
The pressure to conform can be reduced if there are other people present who are not
conforming. Asch demonstrated that the non-conforming individual doesn’t necessarily have to be
giving the right answer but simply the fact that someone else is not following the majority appears
to enable a person to be free to follow their own conscience. When he introduced a non-
conforming confederate conformity dropped from 32% to 5.5%. The confederate shows the
majority is no longer unanimous (all in agreement).
Obedience and social support: Milgram
The pressure to obey can be resisted if another person is seen to disobey. In one of Milgram’s
variations, the rate of obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when the genuine participant was
joined by a disobedient confederate. The disobedient person acts as a model of dissent for the
participant to copy and frees them to act from their own conscience. The disobedient confederate
challenges the legitimacy of the authority figure, making it easier for others to disobey.
A03
Point Evidence Conclusion
A strength for locus of Holland (1967) repeated Therefore, internals showed
control as an explanation Milgram’s original electric greater resistance to
for resistance to social shock study and also obedience, increasing the
influence is that there is measured whether internal validity of the
supporting evidence. participants had an internal theory as Holland’s
or external locus of control. research supports its claim.
He found 37% of internals
did not continue to the
highest shock and 23% of
externals did not continue
to the highest shock.
A limitation of locus of Not all research supports This therefore brings into
control as an explanation the link between the locus question the theory of
for resistance to social of control and social locus of control and its
influence is that there is influence resistance. ability to predict resistance
contradictory research. Twenge et al (2004) to social influence.
analysed data from Research has shown that
American locus of control over time people have
studies over a 40-year resisted obedience but
period. have become more
external, overthrowing the
