SOCIAL INFLUENCE - Outline and evaluate the roles social support and locus of control play in the resistance of social influence (16)

Outline and evaluate the roles social support and locus of control play in the resistance of social influence (16 marks)

Social support - Asch A01

Ally gives confidence 

Resist conformity

Remain independant 

A03

R2S - Asch: one correct answer = resisted 

Lab environment = low eco val

Locus of control - Milgram A01

Internal - Own decision 

Extrernal - Fate, Luck

A03 

R2S - Milgram: internal = defiant 

Self report = social desirability 

Social support and Locus of control have varying ways which play a part in resisting social influence. Social support allows someone to resist social influence as they are provided with confidence which contributes to the person resisting conformity to a social group, allowing people to remain independent in their behaviour, resisting social influence. 

Research into social support was conducted by Asch who had participants match line X to line A,B or C. Asch found that when one correct answer was given, it allowed the participant to remiain independent in their behaviour and didnt comform to the common wrong answer which was said, allowing the participants to resist social influence. This research therefore supports social support as an explanation for resisting social influence. 

Although Aschs research supports social support as an explanation for resisting social support, it is low in ecological validity. This is due to the research being conducted in a…