A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY AQA PAPER #1
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Kelman - Answer-1958. Proposed three types of conformity.
Conformity - Answer-Yielding to group pressure. Behaviour and/or beliefs are influenced
by a larger group of people.
Internalisation - Answer-Public and private. Validation process. Change own beliefs.
Identification - Answer-Accept influence to establish a relationship with a group. To feel
part of a group. Internalisation and compliance.
Compliance - Answer-Public not private. No change in personal opinion. To fain
approval. To fit in with a group
Informational social influence - Answer-A type of internalisation. Accepts information
from others as evidence about reality. More confidence in their beliefs.
Normative social influence - Answer-Go along with the majority without accepting their
point of view whilst believing that they are under surveillance by the group.
Evaluation of types of conformity - Answer-Difficulties in distinguishing between
compliance and internalisation.
Research support for normative social influence - Linkenbach and Perkins (2003)
Research support for informational influence - Wittenbrink and Henley (1996)
Normative influence may not be detected - Nolan et al (2008)
Informational influence is moderated by task type
Asch - Answer-1956. Tested conformity. Tested 123 male US undergraduates. Groups
of all but one confederate. Asked to identify the two of three lines that were the same
length. The real participant answered second to last. In different conditions ("critical
trials" 12/18 trials) the confederates were instructed to give the same incorrect answer.
On the 12 critical tasks the average conformity rate was 33%. ¼ never conformed in
any of the critical trials. ½ conformed in six or more of the critical trials. ¹∕₂₀ conformed in
all 12 critical tasks. In control conditions (confederates not answering wrong)
participants made mistakes about 1% of the time.
Evaluation of Asch - Answer-Asch's research may be a child of its time - Perrin and
Spencer (1980)
Problems with determinging the effect of group size - Bond (2005)
Independent behaviour rather than conformity.
Unconvincing confederates.
Cultural differences in conformity - Smith et al (2006)
,Perrin and Spencer - Answer-1980. Attempted to repeat Asch's study in the UK using
science and engineering students. They only obtained one conforming response out of
396 trials. In a subsequent study (youths on probation and probation officers as
participants and confederates respectively) hey found that conformity was more likely to
occur if the percieved cost of not performing was greater.
Bond - Answer-2005. Suggests a limitation of research in conformity is that studies have
only a limited range of majority sizes. No studies other than Asch have used a greater
majority than 9 so in reality very little is known about the effect of larger majority sizes
on conformity.
Group size - Answer-How large or small a group of participants is.
Unanimity - Answer-Where everyone agrees.
Task difficulty - Answer-How easy or hard a part of an experiment is.
Variables affecting conformity - Answer-Group size, Unanimity, Task difficulty
Stanford prison experiment - Answer-1973. Aimed to investigate how readily people
would conform to social roles of guard and prisoner in a role-playing exercise that
simulated prison life. 21 male university student volunteers were allocated social roles
(either prisoner or guard). The prisoners were dehumanised ("arrested", delousing
procedure, prison number).
Zimbardo took the role of prison superintendent. The prisoners and guards quickly
identified with their roles with the guards becoming tyrannical and abusive towards the
prisoners who became passive. Experiment was stopped after 6 days (planned 2
weeks).
Evaluation of Stanford prison experiment - Answer-Conformity to roles is not automatic.
The problem of demand characteristics - Banuazizi and Movahedi (1975)
Ethical issues
Real world relevance - Abu Ghraib
Banuazizi and Movahedi - Answer-1975. Argued that the behaviour of Zimbardo's
guards and prisoners was not due to their response to a 'compelling prison
environment', but rather to the characteristics in the experimental situation itself.
BBC prison study - Answer-2006 . Tried to recreate the results of the Stanford prison
experiment. Broadcast on tv. Participants did not confrom automatically to social roles.
Social roles - Answer-Behaviour expected of an individual who occupies a given
position or status.
, Milgram - Answer-1963. 40 participants (male) assigned as the role of "teacher". Had to
give 'electric shocks' to 'another participant' the "learner" who in reality was a
confederate/actor. The experiment would continue until the participant refused to
continue or 450 volts was reached. If the "teacher" tried to stop the experimenter would
say "the experiment requires that you continue" etc (x4 5th stop). All of the participants
went to at least 300 volts. 65% continued until the full 450 volts.
Evaluation of Milgram - Answer-Ethical issues
Internal validity (a lack of realism) - Orne and Holland (1968), Perry (2012)
Individual differences (the influenceof gender)
External validity (the obedience alibi) - Mandel (1998)
Historical validity - Burger (2009)
Orne and Holland - Answer-1968. Claimed that participants in psychological studies
have learned to distrust experimenters because they know that the true purpose of the
study may be disguised.
Perry - Answer-2012. Discovered that many of Milgram's participants had been
sceptical at the time about whether the shocks were real.
Obedience - Answer-A type of social influence whereby somebody acts in response to a
direct order from a figure of perceived authority.
Situational variables - Answer-Proximity. Location. Uniform
Proximity - Answer-How close two people are in relation to distance
Location - Answer-Where the experiment takes place
Uniform - Answer-What a person is wearing (usually someone involved in the running of
an experiment, not a participant)
Agentic state - Answer-A person sees himself/herself as an agent for carrying out
another persons wishes. People allow others to direct their actions, and then pass off
responsibility for the consequences to the person giving orders.
Legitimate authority - Answer-A person who is perceived to be in a position of social
control within a situation
Authoritarian personality - Answer-A distinct personality pattern characterised by strict
adherence to conventional values and a belief in absolute obedience or submission to
authority.
Elms and Milgram - Answer-1966. To see if authoritarian personality traits were more
likely to be displayed by obedient participants than disobedient participants from
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Kelman - Answer-1958. Proposed three types of conformity.
Conformity - Answer-Yielding to group pressure. Behaviour and/or beliefs are influenced
by a larger group of people.
Internalisation - Answer-Public and private. Validation process. Change own beliefs.
Identification - Answer-Accept influence to establish a relationship with a group. To feel
part of a group. Internalisation and compliance.
Compliance - Answer-Public not private. No change in personal opinion. To fain
approval. To fit in with a group
Informational social influence - Answer-A type of internalisation. Accepts information
from others as evidence about reality. More confidence in their beliefs.
Normative social influence - Answer-Go along with the majority without accepting their
point of view whilst believing that they are under surveillance by the group.
Evaluation of types of conformity - Answer-Difficulties in distinguishing between
compliance and internalisation.
Research support for normative social influence - Linkenbach and Perkins (2003)
Research support for informational influence - Wittenbrink and Henley (1996)
Normative influence may not be detected - Nolan et al (2008)
Informational influence is moderated by task type
Asch - Answer-1956. Tested conformity. Tested 123 male US undergraduates. Groups
of all but one confederate. Asked to identify the two of three lines that were the same
length. The real participant answered second to last. In different conditions ("critical
trials" 12/18 trials) the confederates were instructed to give the same incorrect answer.
On the 12 critical tasks the average conformity rate was 33%. ¼ never conformed in
any of the critical trials. ½ conformed in six or more of the critical trials. ¹∕₂₀ conformed in
all 12 critical tasks. In control conditions (confederates not answering wrong)
participants made mistakes about 1% of the time.
Evaluation of Asch - Answer-Asch's research may be a child of its time - Perrin and
Spencer (1980)
Problems with determinging the effect of group size - Bond (2005)
Independent behaviour rather than conformity.
Unconvincing confederates.
Cultural differences in conformity - Smith et al (2006)
,Perrin and Spencer - Answer-1980. Attempted to repeat Asch's study in the UK using
science and engineering students. They only obtained one conforming response out of
396 trials. In a subsequent study (youths on probation and probation officers as
participants and confederates respectively) hey found that conformity was more likely to
occur if the percieved cost of not performing was greater.
Bond - Answer-2005. Suggests a limitation of research in conformity is that studies have
only a limited range of majority sizes. No studies other than Asch have used a greater
majority than 9 so in reality very little is known about the effect of larger majority sizes
on conformity.
Group size - Answer-How large or small a group of participants is.
Unanimity - Answer-Where everyone agrees.
Task difficulty - Answer-How easy or hard a part of an experiment is.
Variables affecting conformity - Answer-Group size, Unanimity, Task difficulty
Stanford prison experiment - Answer-1973. Aimed to investigate how readily people
would conform to social roles of guard and prisoner in a role-playing exercise that
simulated prison life. 21 male university student volunteers were allocated social roles
(either prisoner or guard). The prisoners were dehumanised ("arrested", delousing
procedure, prison number).
Zimbardo took the role of prison superintendent. The prisoners and guards quickly
identified with their roles with the guards becoming tyrannical and abusive towards the
prisoners who became passive. Experiment was stopped after 6 days (planned 2
weeks).
Evaluation of Stanford prison experiment - Answer-Conformity to roles is not automatic.
The problem of demand characteristics - Banuazizi and Movahedi (1975)
Ethical issues
Real world relevance - Abu Ghraib
Banuazizi and Movahedi - Answer-1975. Argued that the behaviour of Zimbardo's
guards and prisoners was not due to their response to a 'compelling prison
environment', but rather to the characteristics in the experimental situation itself.
BBC prison study - Answer-2006 . Tried to recreate the results of the Stanford prison
experiment. Broadcast on tv. Participants did not confrom automatically to social roles.
Social roles - Answer-Behaviour expected of an individual who occupies a given
position or status.
, Milgram - Answer-1963. 40 participants (male) assigned as the role of "teacher". Had to
give 'electric shocks' to 'another participant' the "learner" who in reality was a
confederate/actor. The experiment would continue until the participant refused to
continue or 450 volts was reached. If the "teacher" tried to stop the experimenter would
say "the experiment requires that you continue" etc (x4 5th stop). All of the participants
went to at least 300 volts. 65% continued until the full 450 volts.
Evaluation of Milgram - Answer-Ethical issues
Internal validity (a lack of realism) - Orne and Holland (1968), Perry (2012)
Individual differences (the influenceof gender)
External validity (the obedience alibi) - Mandel (1998)
Historical validity - Burger (2009)
Orne and Holland - Answer-1968. Claimed that participants in psychological studies
have learned to distrust experimenters because they know that the true purpose of the
study may be disguised.
Perry - Answer-2012. Discovered that many of Milgram's participants had been
sceptical at the time about whether the shocks were real.
Obedience - Answer-A type of social influence whereby somebody acts in response to a
direct order from a figure of perceived authority.
Situational variables - Answer-Proximity. Location. Uniform
Proximity - Answer-How close two people are in relation to distance
Location - Answer-Where the experiment takes place
Uniform - Answer-What a person is wearing (usually someone involved in the running of
an experiment, not a participant)
Agentic state - Answer-A person sees himself/herself as an agent for carrying out
another persons wishes. People allow others to direct their actions, and then pass off
responsibility for the consequences to the person giving orders.
Legitimate authority - Answer-A person who is perceived to be in a position of social
control within a situation
Authoritarian personality - Answer-A distinct personality pattern characterised by strict
adherence to conventional values and a belief in absolute obedience or submission to
authority.
Elms and Milgram - Answer-1966. To see if authoritarian personality traits were more
likely to be displayed by obedient participants than disobedient participants from
