1. Resistance to social influence

2. Outline research into conformity to social roles (4)
Zimbardo carried out the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE) where participants were separated into the role of guards and prisoners. Zimbardo chose mentally healthy participants with no extreme views or political affiliations and he wanted to see how assigning them to a role may influence their behaviour. Zimbardo found that the guards quickly assumed their role of authority. They became hostile to the prisoners and got them to engage in degrading tasks. They verbally abused the prisoners and the prisoners mostly became passive and withdrawn, assuming the role of a prisoner. Zimbardo concluded that just assigning a person a role was enough for them to identify with that role. He believed this showed the power of the roles we are given in society.

3. Evaluate Milgram’s 1963 study on obedience
Evaluate Milgram’s 1963 study on obedience. Include reference to ethical issues and validity (6)
Milgram has been criticised for having a number of ethical issues. The participants in Milgram’s research were deceived as to the nature of the study. They were told the study was about learning and punishment when it was actually about obedience. Also they were not aware that the ‘learner’ was a confederate and that the electric shocks were not, in fact real. This means the participants could not give their full informed consent to take part in the study. A further ethical issue was the psychological distress shown by many of the participants and the fact that, although they were told they had the right to withdraw at the beginning of the study, the experimenter gave them prods such as ‘the experiment requires that you continue’.
Some researchers have criticised Milgram’s research for lacking internal validity. This is the extent to which the research is testing what it is supposed to test, in this case obedience. It was suggested that the participants did not truly believe that they were giving real electric shocks and just went along with it to please the researcher. Therefore, the demand characteristics reduced the internal validity and instead of obedience, what Milgram was studying was how much the participants wanted to go along with the study. However, as the participants became upset by the procedure it suggests they did truly believe the shocks were real.
Finally, the research can be criticised for lacking ecological validity as the situation was very unusual and artificial and the results could not be generalised to outside the laboratory setting. However, the study has been done many times in different cultures and with different types of participants and the results are similar to Milgram’s.

4. Are we all capable of high levels
of obedience in
Certain situations?

5. Working in pairs One to research agentic state
One to research legitimate authority
Produce material to include a definition, an example, key terms and a pictorial representation of the factor (if you like).
You should also link your explanation to either the Bickman study Milgram’s research or the Hofling study.
Explain how the factor is supported by at least one of these pieces of research.
You should then share your knowledge with your partner.

6. Milgram’s explanations…
Hitler’s Agent!
1) Agentic versus Autonomous State
When we perceive someone to be higher up the social hierarchy than us we are likely to act as an agent for them, believing that it is not our responsibility but instead we are simply following orders. This is called acting in a mental ‘agentic state.’ We might feel a sense of anxiety or moral strain if what we are doing is wrong, but we are powerless as we are in a lower position in the social hierarchy.
The opposite of the agentic state is the autonomous state. This is where we are independent and have free will over our actions. However when ordered by an authority figure we make an agentic shift to the agentic state.
We stay in the agentic state even when we want to disobey due to binding factors. These are factors of the situation which reduce our moral strain such as reassuring ourselves it is not our responsibility.

7. Milgram’s explanations…
Hitler
Eichmann
2) Legitimacy of Authority
We are taught from an early age who is at the top of the social hierarchy. For example we accept that teachers, police officers and security guards all have legitimate authority. We trust them to exert their power over us appropriately and are willing to give up our independence if they do so.
However some authority figures have exploited their legitimate authority to cause destruction. This is destructive authority when they order people lower down in the social hierarchy to act in cruel and torturous ways.
Because we believe their authority is legitimate we act in an agentic state, believing that we are simply following orders and it is their responsibility.
Soldiers & Military

8. Linking back to Milgram’s study…
Who was the agent in Milgram’s study? What binding factors were at play in Milgram’s study which kept the teacher obedient? What made the teacher believe they were obeying legitimate authority?

9. Task
Both groups group – give ten minutes to go over notes and teach each other.
Give question to do in pairs and peer mark

10. It’s a numbers game 45
65%
15-450
300
1963
100%
35%

11. Questions
1. Juliana always wears her uniform for school and, if told by a teacher, will always adjust the length of her skirt to fit in with the rules.
With reference to the scenario describe two reasons why Juliana follows orders when she is in school. (4)
2. What is meant by the term agentic state (4)

12. Example answer
Obedience is influenced by both situational and Dispositional factors. Juliana follows orders from teachers in school and this may be due to the location (school environment) and the fact that her teacher might be smartly dressed (uniform)She may score highly on authoritarian
Another reason is that she sees the teacher as having a legitimate authority. Teachers, in schools, are justified in their authority and are seen as having power because of their social role. Juliana may not obey the teacher outside of school as they do not have the same power to punish outside the school gates.

13. Example answer
An agentic state is when a person is no longer taking responsibility for their own behaviour and is working as an agent for a perceived authority figure. Individuals shift from an autonomous state, where they feel responsible for their actions to an agentic state where they are just obeying orders. This is known as an agentic shift. This is more likely when factors that lead to obedience are present, for example when the authority figure is wearing a uniform or as seen as a legitimate authority figure.

14. Dispositional factors: authoritarian personality
Measured by the F-scale
Adorno (1950)
Has origins in childhood.
Authoritarian parenting styles
Unquestioning obedience to authority.
Adorno studied over 2000 American students (white, middle class) about their political views and early childhood experiences.
He found that those brought up in harsh environments where
physical punishment was used by parents grew up to be
very obedient.

15. Characteristics Intolerant of minorities Ethnocentric Conventional
Dogmatic
Submissive to authority figures
Aggression to people to violate norms of society.

16. Evaluation of Adorno Milgram carried interviews on a sample of his
participants. He found those who went to 450V
scored more highly on the authoritatian personality scale compared to those who disobeyed.

17. Explain the dispositional explanation for obedience (4 marks)
One dispositional explanation for obedience is put forward by Adorno (1950) who found that through interviews with 2000 white middle class students, that those who have been brought up by strict parents who tended to use harsh physical punishment were likely to grow up to be obedient. Children raised in these conditions grew up to learn to obey and develop a strong respect for authority. This led Adorno to explain high level of obedience through a personality type. He named this the authoritarian personality.

18. Elms and Milgram studied 20 of the obedient participants and 20 defiant participants.
Carried out a range of test including the F-scale
The found higher levels of authoritarianism among those participants who were obedient in the study.
The obedient participants admired the experimenter more suggesting they were higher on the trait of authoritarianism.

19. Quiz Identify two explanations of conformity
Identify 2 types of conformity
When was Asch’s research carried out and why is this relevant?
Identify two ethical issues with Milgram’s research.
Has Zimbardo’s research been replicated – elaborate on your answer.

20. Resistance to authority

21. Why do people resist social influence?
Lesson Objectives
Why do people resist social influence?
Understand
AO1
To describe explanations for resistance to social influence
Apply
AO2
To explain real life examples of resistance to social influence.
Evaluate
AO3
To assess explanations of resistance to social influence, discussing strengths, weaknesses and evidence.

22. Is it better to be resistant or obedient? Discuss.
Social resistance
Is it better to be resistant or obedient? Discuss.
Group discussion
Individually write your answer on mini white board. (10 minutes)

23. Resistance to social influence
Research studies carried out by Asch, Zimbardo and Milgram have shown how many people conform or obey when put under pressure.
However, in each of these studies, some individuals resisted the pressure put on them and retained their independence.
How many participants in Asch and Milgram’s retained their independence?
Asch: 24%
Zimbardo: 2/3
Hofling: 1
Milgram: 35%
(5 minutes)

24. What factors lead people to resist social pressure?
10 minutes

25. Social Influence Task: Questionnaire
5 minutes
Task: Questionnaire
Complete the questionnaire by circling the statement in each question that best
applies to you.
While you’re answering it, think about what your answers say about you…

26. Social Influence What is Locus of Control? (Rotter)
Locus of control refers to a person’s perception of personal control over their own behaviour. It is a personality explanation!
Measured on a scale of high internal to high external.
Internal
External
An individual who believes their life is determined by their own decisions and efforts.
An individual who believes their life is determined by fate, luck and external factors.

27. Internal locus of control or external locus of control?
Social Influence
Which type of LOC are likely to resist social influence?
Internal
External
An individual who believes their life is determined by their own decisions and efforts.
An individual who believes their life is determined by fate, luck and external factors.
Individual with an internal LOC are more likely to resist pressures to conform and obey
Internal locus of control or external locus of control?

28. Internality and resistance to social influence
Active seekers of information. Less likely to rely on information from others.
Achievement-orientated – more likely to become leaders as opposed to followers.
Better able to resist coercion from others
Characteristics individuals have who can resist social influence

29. How does this relate to Social Influence?
Internal vs. External
Type of LOC
Characteristics
How does this relate to Social Influence?
Internal
High level of personal control over their lives and behaviour. Take personal responsibility for it. ‘I made it happen!’
High internals actively seek out information which will help them personally and are less likely to rely on others.
They are more achievement orientated. They can resist pressure from others.
External
The belief that life is determined by external/environmental factors, such as luck. ‘Wrong place, wrong time!’
High Externals are more likely to be influenced by others as they don’t believe they exercise personal control over their lives.

30. Social Influence
Task
Using our discussions and the pack, textbook to help…
Complete the locus of control worksheet…

31. Social Influence Task: Which Locus of Control?
5 minutes
Task: Which Locus of Control?
Decide which of the scenarios have an internal or external locus of control.
1) Amanda doesn’t bother applying for the position of Head Girl because she feels she is not popular enough to win.
2) Ben checks his horoscope every day to see if he is going to have a good or a bad day.
3) Harry feels confident that he will get the job he applied for because he has good exam results and did well in the interview.

32. Research Evidence for Locus of Control
Elms and Milgram (1974) investigated the background of some of the disobedient participants from Milgram’s first four obedience experiments. They found that disobedient participants had a high internal locus of control and scored higher on a scale that measured their sense of social responsibility
On the big whiteboard write a conclusion, 2 evaluation points of each piece of research and one practical application from the research.
feedback

33. Oliner & Oliner 1988) interviewed two groups of non-Jewish people who had lived through the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. They compared 406 people who had rescued Jews with 126 who had not done so. Oliner & Oliner found that the ‘rescuers’ were more likely to have scores demonstrating a high internal locus of control than the non-rescuers, and also scored more highly on measures of social responsibility
Why is this piece of research important?

34. Williams and Warchal (1981) studied 30 university students who were given a range of conformity tasks based on Asch’s procedure. Each student was also assessed using Rotter’s locus of control scale. They found that those who conformed did not score differently on the locus of control scale but they were less assertive, so assertiveness may have more to do with conformity than locus of control
What does this piece of research suggest?
Is the research correlational or cause and effect? What does this mean?

35. Spector found that an internal locus of control was important in resisting normative social influence but did not appear to be a significant factor in resisting informational influence.
Rotter points out that LOC only is a factor in novel situations. It has very little influence over our behaviour in familiar situations , where our previous experiences will always be more important.

36. Social Influence: evaluation
10 minutes
Task: Locus of Control AO3
Use the 4 boxes to evaluate the locus of control explanation of resistance to social influence…
Consider
Supporting Evidence
Contradictory Evidence
Alternative Explanations
Strengths and weaknesses
Remember… to get full marks in the exam you need to explain WHY it’s a strength/weakness of LOC!

37. Social Influence Task: Which Locus of Control are YOU? On your table….
5 minutes
Task: Which Locus of Control are YOU?
On your table….
According to the questionnaire, do you have a more internal or external locus of control? Or are you in the middle?
What does this say about you?
3) Are you more or less likely to resist social influence and act independently?
I have an …… locus of control
This means I…..
If you have an ….. locus of control…..you will…….. to social influence because….
Place it on the continuum according to your LOC score

38. Exam practice: Answer on MWB
Asgarth and Hyacinth are students at Rydell High. They have very different outlooks on life. Asgarth believes you have to grasp opportunities with both hands because your fate is under your own control. That is why he has put his name forward to be his tutor representative on the school council. Hyacinth, on the other hand, thinks that ‘what will be will be’ and there's very little she can do to change that. She is also standing as tutor group rep, but thinks its just down to luck whether she wins or loses Exam question: Identify Asgarth and Hyacinth LOC (4 marks)
Identify Asgarth and Hyacinth LOC
Whoever wins the election will come under pressure to conform or obey. Will Asgarth or hyacinth be better able to resist social influence. Explain your decision.

39. Social Influence Is LOC the only reason for resistance? London Riots
Why did these individuals decide to disobey authority?

40. LOC

41. Social Influence Is LOC the only reason for resistance? London Riots
5 minutes
Is LOC the only reason for resistance?
London Riots
Why did these individuals decide to disobey authority?

42. Social support
Support from other people who are also defying the pressure to conform or obey. One reason that people can resist the pressure to conform or obey is if they have an ally, someone supporting their point of view. Having an ally can build confidence and allow individuals to remain independent. These people act as models to show others that resistance to social influence is possible.
5 minutes

43. Social support can increase an individuals confidence that their own view or position is correct.
Individuals who have support for their point of view no longer fear being ridiculed, allowing them to avoid normative social influence. Furthermore, individuals who have support for their point of view are more likely to disobey orders.
Can you think of examples from your own life?

44. Research into social support
Studies showing how social pressure can be resisted from the support of other people
Milgram variation: teacher paired with two confederates who either refused to administer the shocks or obeyed the order.
10% continued to max 450V shock. When both obeyed: 92.5%
This shows that if the real participant has support for their desire to disobey, then they are more likely to resist the pressure of an authority figure
10 minutes
Find an ally to join them in opposing authority figure. Milgram variation team of three testing learner. Other two, confederates, refused to shock learner. Only 10% continued to max 450V shock. When both obeyed: 92.5
Asch dropped from 33% to just 5.5% - breaks the unanimous position of the majority. Other equally legitimate ways of thinking. Presence of an ally provides the individual with an independent assessment of reality - feel more confident in own decision/stand up to majority. Even when the answer was incorrect still didn’t change.
However showed that if this non-comforming person starts conforming again. So does the naïve participant. Thus the effect of dissent is not long lasting.

45. Research into social support
Asch: Unanimity variation.
Asch dropped from 33% to just 5.5%
This demonstrates that if the real participant has support for their belief (social support), then they are likely more likely to resist the pressure to conform.
10 minutes
Find an ally to join them in opposing authority figure. Milgram variation team of three testing learner. Other two, confederates, refused to shock learner. Only 10% continued to max 450V shock. When both obeyed: 92.5
Asch dropped from 33% to just 5.5% - breaks the unanimous position of the majority. Other equally legitimate ways of thinking. Presence of an ally provides the individual with an independent assessment of reality - feel more confident in own decision/stand up to majority. Even when the answer was incorrect still didn’t change.
However showed that if this non-comforming person starts conforming again. So does the naïve participant. Thus the effect of dissent is not long lasting.

46. Evaluation Resistance to conformity: Allen & Levine (1971)
Whether social support that was not particularly valid would also be effective in helping participants resist conformity.
Conformity decreases when one person dissents even if they are not credible in an Asch type study
Resistance not just motivated by following what someone else says but it enables someone to be free of the pressures from the group.
10 minutes

47. Evaluation Resistance to obedience: Gamson et al
set up a situation in which participants had to produce evidence that would be used to help an oil company run a smear campaign.
Obedience drops when disobedient role models are present.
29/33 (88%) of the groups dissented.
They did not want the company (MHRC) using the videotapes .

48. Personality (LOC) or Situation (Social Support)?
Social Influence
5 minutes
Comparison of the two explanations
Which explanation might be the best for understanding why people resist social influence?
Why?
Personality (LOC) or Situation (Social Support)?

49. Social Influence
5 minutes
Activity 1
Complete the handout.

50. What research could you use?
Social Influence
5 minutes
Apply it!
You are a member of the student council at a sixth-form college. You are all meeting to elect a chairperson. The three candidates have all addressed the meeting and now left. It’s decision time. But you begin to get a bit worried because the teacher who liaises with the student council is asking a lot of questions about one of the candidates. After a while, it becomes clear that he is trying to influence students to vote for this person.
What factors might make it difficult for you to resist pressure from the teacher to vote a certain way? Refer to research in your answer.
What research could you use?

51. Social Influence
5 minutes
Exam practice: independently answer the below questions
Explain what is meant by locus of control (4 marks)
Using your knowledge of psychology, explain why some people might resist pressures to conform. (4 marks)
3) Describe & evaluate two explanations of resistance to social influence (12 marks)

52. Question 1
Locus of control is how much a person believes that they have control over events that happen in their lives. This is usually measured along a scale with internal control at one end and external control at the other. Internal control refers to those people who see that they have a great deal of control over their own behaviour and will take responsibility for their own actions. External control refers to those who believe that their behaviour is controlled by other forces such as luck or fate.

53. Question 2 Have an internal locus of control Support of colleague
Prior commitment
 Dispositional Factors
Models of independence / non-conformity
Exposure to dissent.
Credit any other relevant explanation. Students may offer one explanation in detail or more than one but in less detail. There is a breadth-depth trade-off here.
Merely identifying reasons without any explanation, maximum 2 marks.

54. Resistance to SI
Describe & evaluate two explanations of resistance to social influence 12 marks
AO1 = 6 marks AO3 = 6 marks
Explanation One: Situational: Social Support
Explanation Two: Personality: Locus of Control
Plan answer – Use writing frame for extra support.

55. Describe
Give an account of.

56. Judge from available evidence. Consider strengths and weaknesses.
Evaluate
Appraise the worth.
Judge from available evidence. Consider strengths and weaknesses.

57. So…AO1 Mark bands 12mark Level 1 Knowledge of explanation is limited
Level 2 Knowledge of explanations is present but vague/inaccurate
Level 3: Knowledge is evident
Level 4 : Knowledge is accurate and generally well detailed
Perfection

58. So…AO3 Mark bands 12mark
Level 1 Discussion is limited, poorly focused or absent
Level 2 Focus is mainly on description. Any discussion is only partly effective
Level 3 Discussion is apparent and mostly effective. There are occasional inaccuracies. Lacks focus in places.
Level 4 : Discussion is thorough and effective.
Perfection

59. Getting to know the Mark Scheme… Key Terms Explained
Resistance to SI
Getting to know the Mark Scheme… Key Terms Explained
Key Term
What it means in the context of the mark scheme
Knowledge and Understanding
Showing that you understand the material
AO1
Evaluation and Commentary
Critical commentary of the material including use of studies : AO3
Range / Breadth
Have you presented and explained a good variety of points?
Depth/
Detailed
Have you fully explained all your points in detail to show the ‘depth’ of your understanding? Elaboration!
Well Structured
/Coherent
Have you structured your arguments in a clear logical order? Does it flow? Have you made links and used connectives?
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

60. Resistance to SI
Describe & evaluate two explanations of resistance to social influence 12 marks
Complete the handout
AO1 = 6 marks AO3 = 6 marks
Explanation One: Situational: Social Support
Explanation Two: Personality: Locus of Control

61. Description: How do you Elaborate?
Resistance to SI
Description: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
One factor that leads individuals to resist pressures to conform or obey is support from others.
EXPLAIN
Explain your point
Social support can increase a person’s confidence that there own view or position is correct. Alternatively, the presence of other defiant people means that disobedient behaviour stands out less than if the individual acted alone.
EXAMPLE
EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
In one of Asch’s variations to his study in which an ally also gave the right answer, conformity levels dropped from 33% to 5.5%.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
The ally (dissenter) provided a form of social support to the participant which led to them to resist the pressure to conform
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

62. Evaluation with a PEEL Term Connectives Notes P Point “A strength/
weakness is…”
A simple statement E
Explanation
“because…”
Elaborate on the point
Example
Evidence
“For example,”
Use research if you can, but does not have to be L
Link
“This shows…” ”This implies…”
Explain how the example demonstrates the point.

63. Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
Resistance to SI
Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
Asch’s finding’s about the importance of social support in resisting conformity is supported by evidence from Allen & Levine’s study.
EXPLAIN
Explain your point
They found that conformity was reduced on a task involving visual judgements if there was social support from dissenter, even if they wore glasses with thick lenses and admitted to having a sight problem.
EXAMPLE
EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
This suggests dissenters help resist social influence even when they are not skilled in particular situations.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
(not always necessary)
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

64. Description: How do you Elaborate?
Resistance to SI
Description: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
Social support has also been shown to be effective in helping people resist obedience.
EXPLAIN
Explain your point
Milgram found that the presence of disobedient confederates who were prepared to resist the authority’s requests acted as role models and made it more likely that the real participant would also resist.
EXAMPLE
EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
Only 10% of participants gave the 450 v shock with social support from two confederates.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
This demonstrates how support from others increased the participants ability to resist orders
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

65. Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
Resistance to SI
Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
A strength of Milgram’s finding that social support increases resistance to obedience is that there is research support.
EXPLAIN
Explain your point
Gamson et.al set up a situation in which participants had to produce evidence that would be used to help an oil company run a smear campaign.
EXAMPLE
EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
Gamson et al found high levels of resistance to this with 29 out of 33 groups of participants rebelling against the task.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
This shows that peer support ( the participants worked in groups) is linked to greater resistance to obedience.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

66. Description: How do you Elaborate?
Resistance to SI
Description: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
An alternative explanation of resistance to social influence is that of Locus of control
EXPLAIN
Explain your point
People are better able to resist social influence if they have an internal locus of control. Individuals with a high internal locus of control believe they can affect the outcomes of situations.
EXAMPLE
EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
Rotter who devised the locus of control scale believed that having an internal locus of control makes individuals more resistant to social pressure as they see themselves in control of a situation and believe they have the choice to conform or obey.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
(Not always needed, especially for description)
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

67. Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
Resistance to SI
Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
A strength of the explanation that people with a high internal locus are more likely to resist pressures to obey is from research support.
EXPLAIN
Explain your point
…Elms & Milgram, who investigated the background of those participants who were classed as disobedient in Milgram…..
…..
EXAMPLE
EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or give alternative
Found that disobedient participants had a high internal LOC and also scored highly on a social responsibility scale.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
Not always necessary
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

68. Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
Resistance to SI
Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
Further support for the role of LOC and resisting social influence comes from…….
EXPLAIN
Explain your point
…..
EXAMPLE
EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
Not always needed
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..

69. Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
Resistance to SI
Evaluation: How do you Elaborate?
PEEL
POINT
Make your point.
However, there are some limitations to the influence of locus of control.
EXPLAIN
Explain your point
For example, Spector found that an internal locus of control was important in resisting normative social influence but did not appear to be a significant factor in resisting informational influence.
EXAMPLE
EVIDENCE
Explain what the research shows or suggests.
In addition, Rotter points out that LOC only is a factor in novel situations. It has very little influence over our behaviour in familiar situations , where our previous experiences will always be more important.
LINK
Link it back to your point or the question.
This suggests that people who have conformed or obeyed in the past are likely to do so again, even if they have a high internal LOC.
Look at the mark scheme for a 24 marker and answer the questions..