Independent Behaviour

What is independent behaviour?

• When an individual doesn‟t respond to group norms

• Pay no attention to others behaviour but are not influenced by them

• When someone has the ability to resist the pressures to conform or to obey

Lets start at the beginning – Why do people conform?

NSI – desire to be liked, look for acceptance

ISI – desire to be right, look for guidance

Why not?!

In pairs, discuss possible reasons for why someone would not conform in a

situation

What is conformity?

The tendency to change your behaviour and or views in response to real or imagined pressure from a social group

Allies – A01

• Research has demonstrated that majority influence is more effective when the majority are unanimous

• If there is just one person in a situation that goes against the majority conformity rates drop

- Why do you think this is?

Where have we seen the effect of a „dissenter‟ before?

Asch!

With a dissenter (someone going against the majority) conformity dropped to 5% compared to 32% (without a dissenter)

Allies – A02

Research has demonstrated that the presence of a dissenter (ally) results in a drop in conformity

For example, Allen & Levine (1971) carried out research similar to Asch‟s – in condition 1 the dissenter had bad eyesight, condition 2 the dissenter has normal vision, condition 3 has no dissenter – conformity dropped significant in condition 1 and 2 compared to 3.

This is a strength because Allen & Levine support Asch‟s findings, that an ally (even one with poor vision on a visual task) can decrease conformity, leading to independent behaviour

Locus of Control – A01

• Refers to a person‟s perception of personal control over their own behaviour

Internal – great deal of personal responsibility, consider their behaviour to be controlled by themselves

External – consider their behaviour to be controlled by external factors

Who is more likely to resist conformity?

Internal locus of control

OR

External locus of control

Locus of Control – A02 Further research offers support for the

assumption that individuals with high internal locus of control are more independent.

Atgis (1998) found that those who scored higher on external locus of control were more easily persuaded and likely to conform than those with a low score.

This is positive as it therefore suggests that „internals‟ may be more independent than „externals‟.

Locus of Control– A02 Further research has demonstrated that there is an

unclear link between locus of control and resisting conformity.

Williams & Warchal (1981) found that when 30 students were given a range of conformity tasks based on Asch‟s experimental paradigm and then tested using Rotter‟s locus of control scale, those that conformed did not score differently for locus of control BUT did get a low score on an assertiveness scale.

This is a weakness as Williams and Warchal‟s research demonstrates that the link between locus of control & independent behaviour is unclear.

Independent Behaviour

Disobedience

What is obedience?

When someone acts in response to a direct order given by someone considered to have more authority/social power than themselves.

**It usually involves the individual doing something they wouldn‟t normally have done**

Why to people obey?

G

L

A

D

radual Commitment

egitimate Authority

gentic Shift

ehumanisation

Why would people not obey?

Illegitimate Authority (lack of legitimate…) – when you don‟t consider the individual giving you orders to have social power/authority

Locus of control – how much the individual feels they have control over their own behaviour

Lack of Legitimate Authority

• If an authority figure is not considered to be legitimate, e.g. has no social power or authority, we are less likely to obey them

How was this shown in the variations of Milgrams research?

- When the research took place at Yale with the experimenter obedience was higher than when it was in a run-down office block with an experimenter in „normal‟ clothes

Yale = 65% Office Block = 48%

Evaluate Milgram‟s research

You‟ve identified Milgram‟s research in demonstrating a lack of legitimate authority in resisting pressures to obey

- Now use your research methods to evaluate his research

+ve – high degree of control

Milgram‟s research was conducted in a lab and so had a high degree of control

For example the experimenter could control variables such as the learners protests etc (remember they were recorded)

This is a strength because Milgram was able to measure the effects of an authority figure on obedience

-ve – lack of mundane realism

Milgram‟s research can be criticised for lacking mundane realism

For example Orne suggested that the participants in Milgram‟s research knew that the shocks were not real

This is a weakness because the research may in fact lack internal validity and ultimately may not be investigating the effects of an authority figure on obedience

Locus of Control – A01

• Refers to a person‟s perception of personal control over their own behaviour

Internal – great deal of personal responsibility, consider their behaviour to be controlled by themselves

External – consider their behaviour to be controlled by external factors

Who is more likely to resist conformity?

Internal locus of control

OR

External locus of control

Locus of Control – A02 Further research has supported the fact that

personality plays an important role in resisting obedience to authority

Elms & Milgram (1974) set out to investigate the background of disobedient participants by interviewing a sample of those involved in Milgram‟s original experiment. They found that disobedient participants scored an internal locus of control

This is a strength as the research supports the idea that a an internal locus of control can lead to more resisting obedience to authority.

Mind maps!!

Close your booklets Get a piece of paper Write “Resisting Conformity” on one side and

“Resisting Obedience” on the other You have 5 minutes to write all that you can

remember on both sides of the sheet