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Social influence Practice Questions for aqa a level Psychology
35 practice questions with mark scheme/answers for aqa a level psychology social influence topic. Includes practice essay questions. (Pack 2)
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Q1.Josie, Hana and Caitlyn have just started new jobs and all three are keen to do well. Josie
laughs a lot at the jokes her colleagues tell, even though she does not always find them
very funny. Hana observes her colleagues closely and makes sure that she completes the
work in the same way that they do, so that she does not make any mistakes. Caitlyn
prefers to learn through trial and error. She believes that by trying and by making
mistakes, she will really understand what she is doing.
Which girl’s behaviour is being influenced by normative social influence and which girl’s
behaviour is being influenced by informational social influence? Justify both choices.
(Total 6 marks)
Q2.
Discuss at least two factors that have been shown to affect conformity. Refer to evidence
in your answer.
(Total 16 marks)
Q3.
A psychologist studying obedience conducted the following experiment.
A confederate (stooge) approached people in the street and instructed them to pick up a
piece of litter and put it in a nearby bin. None of the people approached had dropped the
litter.
There were two groups in the experiment.
Group A The confederate (stooge) was dressed in everyday clothing.
Group B The confederate (stooge) was dressed in a uniform.
The psychologist recorded how many people in each group obeyed the instruction of the
confederate (stooge).
(a) Identify the experimental design that was used in this study. Briefly explain one
advantage of using this experimental design in this study.
(3)
(b) Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable in this experiment.
(2)
(c) Use your knowledge of research into obedience to explain the likely outcome of this
experiment.
(3)
(d) Briefly outline one ethical issue that might have arisen in this experiment.
(2)
(Total 10 marks)
Q4.
Outline and evaluate research into conformity.
(Total 16 marks)
Page 1 of 37
,Q5.
Explain how a minority can bring about social change.
(Total 4 marks)
Q6.
Explain what is meant by locus of control.
(Total 4 marks)
Q7.
Outline and evaluate research into conformity.
(Total 12 marks)
Q8.
The following results are percentages of participants who gave the maximum shock, in
variations of Milgram’s experiment into obedience to authority.
Condition
% Participants obeying
Experimenter and two obedient confederates are in the 92.5%
same room as the participant.
Experimenter is in the same room as the participant. 65%
Experimenter is in a different room from the participant. 20.5%
Experimenter and two disobedient confederates are in 10%
the same room as the participant.
What do these results suggest about the power of the confederates in variations of
Milgram’s study?
(Total 4 marks)
Q9.
‘By today’s standards, many studies of social influence would be judged unethical.’
Discuss ethical issues that have arisen in social influence research. Refer to evidence in
your answer.
(Total 16 marks)
Q10.
(a) Briefly discuss the Authoritarian Personality as an explanation for obedience to
authority.
(4)
(b) Apart from personality type, outline one psychological explanation for defiance of
authority.
(2)
(Total 6 marks)
Page 2 of 37
,Q11.
Discuss research into conformity.
(Total 8 marks)
Q12.
When you are a passenger on a train, you are much more likely to move to another seat if
the ticket collector tells you to move than if another passenger tells you to do so.
Use your knowledge of why people obey to explain this behaviour.
(Total 4 marks)
Q13.
Explain how social influence research helps us to understand social change.
(Total 6 marks)
Q14.
Discuss at least two explanations for defiance of authority. Refer to evidence in your
answer.
(Total 16 marks)
Q15.
Some psychologists criticise Milgram’s research into obedience to authority, in terms of
both methodological issues and ethical issues.
Explain two criticisms of Milgram’s research.
(Total 6 marks)
Q16.
Explain what is meant by compliance.
(Total 3 marks)
Q17.
(a) One type of conformity is compliance. What do psychologists mean by the term
compliance?
(1)
(b) A group of students has to decide what to do with the money left over in their school
fund. Most of them want to give the money to a local charity. However, two students,
Lisa and Sean, want to buy a pool table for the common room.
Briefly explain how two factors might affect whether or not Lisa and Sean will
conform to the rest of the group.
(4)
(Total 5 marks)
Q18.
Discuss one or more explanations of why people resist the pressure to conform.
Page 3 of 37
, (Total 8 marks)
Q19.
Which two of the following are situational variables that can affect obedience? Choose
two from the options A, B, C, D and E.
A Proximity
B Flexibility
C Identification
D Authoritarian personality
E Location
(Total 2 marks)
Q20.
A small environmental group wants to encourage people to use public transport or
bicycles instead of using their cars.
Using your knowledge of the role of minority influence in social change, what advice would
you give the environmental group?
(Total 6 marks)
Q21.
Explain what is meant by internalisation.
(Total 3 marks)
Q22.
Steph and Jeff are student teachers who recently joined other
members of staff on a one-day strike. When asked why they
decided to do so, Steph replied, ‘I never thought I would strike but I
listened to the other teachers’ arguments and now I have become
quite passionate about it’.
Jeff’s explanation was different: ‘To be honest, everyone else
seemed to be striking and I didn’t want to be the only one who
wasn’t’.
Discuss explanations for conformity. Refer to Steph and Jeff as part of your discussion.
(Total 16 marks)
Q23.
Using an example, explain the role of social influence processes in social change.
(Total 6 marks)
Q24.
Page 4 of 37
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