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Summary Social Influence
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An in-depth booklet on social influence from AQA Psychology A-Level
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AS Psychology - Unit TwoSocial Psychology
Social Influence
Student workbook
Name: ..................................................................................
Form: ...................................................................................
Teacher: .............................................................................
.
Oxted School
, Specification Requirements
Social Psychology
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate:
Knowledge and understanding of concepts, theories and studies in
relation to social psychology
Skills of analysis, evaluation and application in relation to social
psychology
Knowledge and understanding of research methods associated with this
area of psychology
Knowledge and understanding of ethical issues associated with this area
of psychology.
Content outline
Social influence Conformity (majority influence) and explanations of why
people conform, including informational social influence and
normative social influence
Types of conformity, including internalisation and
compliance
Obedience to authority, including Milgram’s work and
explanations of why people obey
Social influence Explanations of independent behaviour, including locus of
in everyday life control, how people resist pressures to conform and resist
pressures to obey authority
How social influence research helps us to understand
social change; the role of minority influence in social
change
Riddlesdown Collegiate 2
, Past exam questions on social influence
Conformity
Explain what is meant by internalisation in the context of conformity. (2
marks)
Most research into conformity takes place in a laboratory. Outline one
strength of conducting research into conformity in a laboratory. (2 marks)
When we are in a large group of friends, it is very easy to agree with them and
simply go along with their views. However, sometimes we are able to resist the
pressure to conform. Using what you have learned from studying conformity,
outline one reason why we might resist the pressure to conform. (2 marks)
Outline and evaluate explanations of conformity. (8 marks)
Obedience
In a hospital, you are very likely to obey a nurse. However, if you meet her
outside the hospital, for example in a shop, you are much less likely to obey.
Using your knowledge of how people resist pressures to obey, explain why you
are less likely to obey the nurse outside the hospital. (4 marks)
Milgram’s work has been criticised as being unethical. Describe
one way in which his research is unethical. (2 marks)
Apart from being unethical, outline one strength and one
limitation of Milgram’s methodology (2 + 2 marks)
Outline one limitation of conducting research into obedience outside a
laboratory setting (2 marks)
Outline and evaluate one or more explanations of why people obey. (12 marks)
Independent behaviour
Discuss one or more explanations of independent behaviour, for example, how
people resist pressures to conform or obey. (8 marks)
Explain how locus of control influences independent behaviour. (4 marks)
Riddlesdown Collegiate 3
, Three students, George, Petra and Dan, have just started in the sixth form. Dan is
a confident person who thinks that his fate lies firmly in his hands. By the end of
the first week, Dan has put himself forward to be nominated as the class
representative. Petra has also put her name forward to be nominated. She believes
it is just luck whether or not she will be selected and feels that there is not much
she can do about it. George did not put his name forward because his father told
him not to.
o What type of locus of control does Petra’s behaviour show?
(1 mark)
o Which one of the three students is most likely to resist
pressures to conform? Use your knowledge of psychology to
explain your choice. (4 marks)
Social change
Describe how social influence research has contributed to our understanding of
social change. (6 marks)
For many years, smoking in public places such as trains, pubs and restaurants
was quite acceptable. People could smoke wherever they wanted and non-
smokers had to put up with smoky atmospheres. However, in 2007, the
Government finally introduced a law banning smoking in public places and those
who smoke are limited in where they can smoke.
o Using your knowledge of the psychology of social change, explain how
this social change has occurred.
Mike and his grandfather were having a conversation about recycling. Mike
explained that he always puts empty cans and plastic bottles in one box and
newspapers and cardboard in another box and that his mum takes these to be
recycled once a week. His grandfather said that when he was
Mike’s age, people did not recycle. Mike said that everyone in
his street recycles and that they have a big box at school
especially for recycling.
o Using your knowledge of the psychology of social change, explain why
recycling is now behaviour carried out by a majority of people in this
country. (6 marks)
Riddlesdown Collegiate 4
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