Summary AQA A level Psychology - Social Influence Revision notes
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A level psychology
Institution
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AQA Psychology for A Level Year 1 & AS - Student Book
AQA A level psychology revision notes for the whole topic of Social Influence. Produced by an A* student. Bullet points on explanations of conformity, obedience, minority social influence, etc. included, with AO3 evaluation.
AQA Psychology AS/A Level - Topic 1: Social Influence
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AQA A-Level Psychology | A* Student Notes | Social Influence
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Social influence is the scientific study of how a person’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours are
influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.
Scientific = empirical method of investigation (objective observation and measurement)
Types of conformity: internalisation, identification and compliance.
Conformity
● A change in behaviour / attitude due to the real / imagined social influence of others.
● Others = social group of 2+ people (friends, family, peers, strangers)
(Social group here has no authority over us/ no orders issued to follow)
Types of conformity
→ Compliance
● Superficial
● When a person publicly conforms to the views and opinions of others but internally
disagrees.
● Can be expressed verbally (out loud) / through a gesture of acceptance.
● The change only lasts while the group is monitoring us.
→ Identification
● Deeper level of acceptance
● When a person is exposed to the views of others + changes their views publicly & privately to
fit in.
● May be temporary; when they leave the group, they may not retain the same view.
● Identify with group values to feel a sense of group membership.
→ Internalisation
● True conformity - deepest level of conformity & minority influence (often called conversion).
● The views of others are taken on at a deep public and private level, because we accept their
opinion as correct.
● To such an extent that the person becomes permanently committed to the viewpoint as a
way of life.
● Far-reaching, permanent change in behaviour, even when the group is absent.
Explanations for conformity
Informational social influence
● An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we
believe that it is correct. We accept it because we want to be correct. May lead to
internalisation.
● Humans have a need for certainty in their lives + know their ideas & beliefs are correct.
, ● This helps us feel in control of our lives.
● When we are in situations of psychological uncertainty (novel or ambiguous situations) we
look to others for information regarding how to behave and then conform to their behaviour.
→ Supporting evidence = Jenness jelly bean experiment
- Repeated measures design
- Participants estimated the number of jelly beans in a jar individually in private.
- Group discussion
- After group discussion, participants gave a second estimate - which conformed to the group
estimate.
Normative social influence
● Psychological need to be socially accepted by other people.
● Constantly seek approval of others + avoid rejection.
● NSI = conforming to a behaviour / attitude as a result of the pressure to be liked and
accepted by others.
● People do not wish to be ridiculed / punished for being different.
● Groups of people have explicit and implicit norms that guide their behaviour.
● People like to act the way the group of people expects them to.
Evaluation
☺Jenness jelly bean experiment ☹ Individual differences in NSI - some people
are less affected by the pressure to be liked.
☹ ‘Two-process’ approach - NSI and ISI can work
together. Not always possible to discern which
one is at work.
Asch: conformity experiment
Procedure:
1) Showed participants 2 cards at a time - 1 = standard line , 2 = 3 comparison lines
2) One of the lines was the obvious right answer. Participants were asked which line matched.
3) 123 American male undergraduates
4) Tested in groups with confederates - each group had one naive participant.
5) Each participant = 18 trials. 12 of these were critical trials (all confederates gave the same
wrong answer) and other 6 - they gave different wrong answers.
Variables:
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