“Not Everyone Conforms or Obeys Authority; Some People Resist These Pressures and Remain Independent.” Outline and Evaluate Research Relating to Independent Behaviour. (12 Marks)

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Independent behaviour refers to the ability to resist pressure to conform to a majority, or resisting pressure to obey the orders given by an authority figure. Independent behaviour was shown in the social influence studies of both Asch and Milgram. In a variation of his conformity study, Asch found that people are better able to resist pressure to conform if they have the support of others. Asch found that the presence of social support enabled an individual to resist majority pressure. Introducing an ally who resisted the majority caused conformity levels to drop sharply (5%). The presence of an ally makes an individual feel more confident and better able to stand up to the majority. Asch also discovered that people are better able to resist pressure to conform if the decision has a moral dimension. For Asch’s participants, the costs of conforming were not particularly great given the insignificance of the task. However if the behaviour is judged as immoral such as joining others in cheating there is less evidence of conformity as the costs are perceived as greater. Kohlberg found that individuals who are able to resist pressure to conform tend to be more morally advanced. Individuals can resist obedience if they have an ally who also opposes the authority figure. In Milgram’s study when the participant was given two allies that refused to continue giving shocks, only 10% of participants continued to the 450 volts shock level. Milgram claims that the presence of allies who resist an authority figure makes individuals more confident in their ability to do the same. Individuals are able to use the defiance of their peers as a chance to remove themselves from causing further harm to the victim. Human beings have a tendency to obey anyone who has a commanding presence. By questioning the legitimacy of an order, or the person’s right to give it, people are more

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