AQA Psychology Topic Test Social QP Sample - Amazon S3

AQA A LevelPsychologyTopic Assessments

Social Influence(Edition 1)

h Types & Explanations for Conformityh Asch’s Research & Zimbardo’s Researchh Milgram’s Research & Situational Variablesh Explanations for Obedienceh Explanations of Resistance to Social Influenceh Minority Influenceh Social Change

TOPIC ASSESSMENTS

SAMPLE

www.tutor2u.net/psychologyPage 2 AQA A Level Psychology Topic Assessment

AQA A Level Psychology Types & Explanations for Conformity

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /2 /4 /3 /4 /15 Name: Class:

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN THIS SECTION

1 Which of these statements about informational social influence is false? A It often occurs in new or ambiguous situations. B It is more likely to occur if you think that the group knows more than you do. C It occurs because we want to be accepted by the majority. D It does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way.

(1 mark) 2 Which of these is a type of conformity? A Informational B Internalisation C Interference D Interactions

(1 mark) 3 Briefly explain what is meant by compliance in the context of conformity.

(2 marks)

Carl and Jenny meet at a concert. Carl says he is there because his friends told him how good the band are. He listened to what his friends said, and now he really loves the band and listens to their music all the time. Jenny confesses that she is there because she has just started a new job and her workmates like the band and asked her to come along. She is not sure whether she would want to listen to their music or see them again.

SAMPLE

www.tutor2u.net/psychology AQA A Level Psychology Topic Assessment Page 3

AQA A Level Psychology Types & Explanations for Conformity

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /2 /4 /3 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which of these statements about informational social influence is false? A It often occurs in new or ambiguous situations. B It is more likely to occur if you think that the group knows more than you do. C It occurs because we want to be accepted by the majority. D It does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way.

(1 mark) 2 Which of these is a type of conformity? A Informational B Internalisation C Interference D Interactions

(1 mark) 3 Briefly explain what is meant by compliance in the context of conformity.

(2 marks)


4 Explain which type of conformity Carl is showing and which type of conformity Jenny is showing. (4 marks)

5 Explain what is meant by normative social influence in relation to conformity.

(3 marks)

6 Evaluate informational social influence as an explanation for conformity.

(4 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Asch’s Research & Zimbardo’s Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /3 /4 /2 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which one of these statements about the findings of Asch’s conformity research is false? A Approximately 25% of the participants did not conform on any of the trials. B When the participants were interviewed afterwards, most said that they conformed

to avoid social rejection.

C The participants conformed to the incorrect answers on ~39% of the critical trials. D Less than 1% of the participants gave an incorrect answer when no confederates

were present.

(1 mark) 2 Which one of these statements about Zimbardo’s research into conformity to social roles is

correct? A Zimbardo conducted his research in the basement of Yale University. B The study was stopped on the fifth day. C The prisoners rebelled against the guards within two days. D The prisoners were arrested in their own homes by the New York Police.

(1 mark) 3 Briefly outline how Asch examined conformity.

(3 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Asch’s Research & Zimbardo’s Research

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /3 /4 /2 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which one of these statements about the findings of Asch’s conformity research is false? A Approximately 25% of the participants did not conform on any of the trials. B When the participants were interviewed afterwards, most said that they conformed



were present.

(1 mark) 2 Which one of these statements about Zimbardo’s research into conformity to social roles is


(1 mark) 3 Briefly outline how Asch examined conformity.

(3 marks)

Megan was on the way to college with her friends. They were discussing the answers they had given to a psychology homework task they had been set the day before. All three of her friends had given a different answer to one of the more difficult questions, so Megan changed her answer to be the same as theirs. However, Megan’s friends had also given a different answer to what Megan believed was an easier question; she decided to stick to her own answer on that question.

4 Use your knowledge of conformity research to explain Megan’s behaviour.

(4 marks)

5 Explain what is meant by the term social roles.

(2 marks)

6 Evaluate Zimbardo’s research examining conformity to social roles.

(4 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Milgram’s Research & Situational Variables

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /4 /3 /2 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which of the following findings from Milgram’s research into situation variables, is true? A When the experimenter wore ordinary clothes, 20% of participants went to 450 volts. B When the research was conducted in a run-down office building, 42.5% of

participants went to 450 volts.

C When the teacher forced the learner’s hand onto the shock plate, 20% of the participants went to 450 volts.

D When the experimenter gave orders over the phone, 30% of participants went to 450 volts.

(1 mark) 2 Which of the following strengths of Milgram’s research into obedience is false? A Milgram’s research was well controlled. B Milgram’s findings have been supported by research in more realistic environments. C Milgram’s research examining situational factors has been praised by Mandel for

being able to explain the behaviour of the Nazi soldiers.

D Milgram’s research has high replicability. (1 mark)

3 Explain how Milgram investigated obedience.

(4 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Milgram’s Research & Situational Variables

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /4 /3 /2 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which of the following findings from Milgram’s research into situation variables, is true? A When the experimenter wore ordinary clothes, 20% of participants went to 450 volts. B When the research was conducted in a run-down office building, 42.5% of




(1 mark) 2 Which of the following strengths of Milgram’s research into obedience is false? A Milgram’s research was well controlled. B Milgram’s findings have been supported by research in more realistic environments. C Milgram’s research examining situational factors has been praised by Mandel for



3 Explain how Milgram investigated obedience.

(4 marks)

4 Discuss one limitation of Milgram’s research into obedience.

(3 marks)

5 Briefly explain what is meant by the term proximity in the context of obedience research.

(2 marks)

Matt was in the college library with some litter on the table. When the college librarian asked him to put it in the bin, Matt did as he was told. However, later on, when he saw the college librarian near the bus stop and she told him to pick up a piece of litter she thought he had dropped, he just ignored her. Abby was with Matt at the bus stop and also ignored the college librarian. However, when a security guard came over and told her to pick up the litter she did as she was told.

6 Using your knowledge of situational variables that affect obedience, explain the differences in

Matt’s and Abby’s behaviour. (4 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Explanations for Obedience

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

Name: Class:


1 Which of these statements about the agentic state explanation of obedience is false? A The opposite of the agentic state is the autonomous state. B A person in the agentic state feels free to behave according to their own principles. C Binding factors keep people within the agentic state. D If a person is in the agentic state, they see other people as responsible for their

behaviour.

(1 mark) 2 Which of the following statements about research into the authoritarian personality is true? A The research by Adorno et al. was looking at conscious attitudes towards other racial

groups.

B Adorno et al. concluded that those with authoritarian attitudes are very submissive to those they see as inferior.

C Adorno et al. concluded that those with an authoritarian attitude are more flexible in their attitude.

D Adorno et al. believed that people developed authoritarian personalities as a result of harsh parenting.

(1 mark) 3 Briefly explain what is meant by the term legitimate authority in the context of obedience.

(2 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Explanations for Obedience

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

Name: Class:


1 Which of these statements about the agentic state explanation of obedience is false? A The opposite of the agentic state is the autonomous state. B A person in the agentic state feels free to behave according to their own principles. C Binding factors keep people within the agentic state. D If a person is in the agentic state, they see other people as responsible for their

behaviour.

(1 mark) 2 Which of the following statements about research into the authoritarian personality is true? A The research by Adorno et al. was looking at conscious attitudes towards other racial

groups.




(1 mark) 3 Briefly explain what is meant by the term legitimate authority in the context of obedience.

(2 marks)

John was a supervisor in a supermarket. He was instructed by the store manager to tell one of the part-time staff that they no longer had a job because the store was overstaffed. John knew that this was not true and that the store manager planned to employ his niece instead. When John said to his manager that he did not think this was fair and that he could get into trouble, his manager said that John must follow his orders and that he was responsible for the decision, not John. John went ahead and told the member of staff they were no longer needed.

4 Using your knowledge of explanations of obedience, explain John’s behaviour.

(4 marks)

5 Briefly outline one dispositional explanation for obedience.

(3 marks)

6 Evaluate the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience.

(4 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Explanations of resistance to Social Influence

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /2 /4 /3 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which of these statements does not support social support as a valid explanation for resistance

to social influence? A Asch found that conformity decreased when one of the confederates dissented and

gave the correct answer.

B Milgram found that obedience levels decreased if the real participants saw two additional ‘teachers’ refuse to continue.

C Asch found that when the participants were asked to write down their answers rather than say them out loud, conformity decreased.

D Some research has found higher levels of disobedience when participants were in groups rather than alone.

(1 mark) 2 Which of the following statements about the locus of control is true? A Rutter was the first person to propose the concept of locus of control. B People with an internal locus of control are more likely to conform or obey. C People with an internal locus of control tend to be less self-confident than those with

an external locus of control.

D People with an external locus of control believe that life events are out of their control.

(1 mark) 3 Briefly explain what is meant by the term social support in the context of resistance to social

influence. (2 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Explanations of resistance to Social Influence

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /2 /4 /3 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which of these statements does not support social support as a valid explanation for resistance






(1 mark) 2 Which of the following statements about the locus of control is true? A Rutter was the first person to propose the concept of locus of control. B People with an internal locus of control are more likely to conform or obey. C People with an internal locus of control tend to be less self-confident than those with



(1 mark) 3 Briefly explain what is meant by the term social support in the context of resistance to social


Kim is of the opinion that people make their own luck, and if you do well in life, it is because you have worked hard. Her friend Josie is very different and believes that people do well in life because they have lucky breaks. One day, their teacher asks for volunteers to visit elderly people in their local community who are socially isolated. No-one in the class puts up their hand and Josie also keeps her hand down, even though she thinks it is a good idea. Kim, takes a little time to think carefully about the idea and then puts her hand up and says that she would like to take part. Josie then tells the teacher that she would like to take part too.

4 Use your knowledge of explanations for resistance to social influence to explain Kim and Josie’s

behaviour. (4 marks)

5 Outline locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence.

(3 marks)

6 Evaluate locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence.

(4 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Minority Influence

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /3 /4 /2 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which one of these statements about minority influence is false? A Minority influence occurs quickly. B Minority influence is very likely to lead to internalisation. C Minority influence is able to explain innovation (new ways of doing things). D Minority influence is difficult to study in laboratory experiments.

(1 mark) 2 Which one of these findings of research into minority influence is correct? A Moscovici found that 37% of participants gave the same wrong answer as the

minority on at least one trial.

B Moscovici found that in the consistent condition, participants gave the wrong answer on 8.42% of trials.

C Moscovici found that in the inconsistent condition, participants gave the wrong answer on 2.25% of trials.

D Moscovici found that in the control group (no confederates), no participants gave a wrong answer.

(1 mark) 3 Briefly outline one research study that investigated minority influence.

(3 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Minority Influence

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /3 /4 /2 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which one of these statements about minority influence is false? A Minority influence occurs quickly. B Minority influence is very likely to lead to internalisation. C Minority influence is able to explain innovation (new ways of doing things). D Minority influence is difficult to study in laboratory experiments.

(1 mark) 2 Which one of these findings of research into minority influence is correct? A Moscovici found that 37% of participants gave the same wrong answer as the





(1 mark) 3 Briefly outline one research study that investigated minority influence.

(3 marks)

4 Evaluate research which has investigated minority influence. (4 marks)

5 Explain what is meant by the term flexibility in the context of minority influence.

(2 marks)

David is very keen to go to see his favourite team play football on Saturday but doesn’t want to go on his own. However, his friends are not very keen and say they would prefer to go to the cinema.

6 Using your knowledge of minority influence research, explain two ways that David could

persuade his friends to go with him to watch the football. (4 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Social Change

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /2 /3 /4 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which one of the following statements about the role of minority influence in social change is

false? A Minority groups often draw attention to a problem in society. B The augmentation principal refers to the way that once a few people take on board

the view of a minority, more and more people join in.

C Once social change has occurred, people quickly forget that it was initially proposed by a minority.

D Minorities need to be consistent in their argument in order to bring about social change.

(1 mark) 2 Which one of these statements about the role of social influence processes in social change is

false? A Research has shown that social change can be encouraged by drawing attention to

what the majority of people are doing.

B Research has challenged the view that minority influence causes people to think more deeply than majority influence does.

C Minority views can sometimes create a barrier to social change as people do not want to identify with the minority group for fear of being labelled.

D Obedience is not a social influence process linked to social change. (1 mark)

3 Explain what is meant by the term social change in the context of minority influence.

(2 marks)

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Social Change

1 2 3 4 5 6 Total

/1 /1 /2 /3 /4 /4 /15 Name: Class:


1 Which one of the following statements about the role of minority influence in social change is





(1 mark) 2 Which one of these statements about the role of social influence processes in social change is






3 Explain what is meant by the term social change in the context of minority influence.

(2 marks)

4 Outline the role of one social influence process in social change. (3 marks)

There have been concerns expressed in the media about the negative effects of too much use of smartphones and tablets by young children. Staff at a primary school want to change the attitudes of the parents regarding their children’s usage.

5 Using your knowledge of the role of social influence processes in social change, what advice

would you give the staff at the school? (4 marks)

According to an article in the Guardian in 2016, there had been a 350% increase in veganism over the previous 10 years, a rise that they claimed was driven by young people, as 42% of vegans in their survey were aged 15-34, compared to 14% who were over 65. A lot of the young people questioned said that the main driving force was social media and use of the internet.

6 With reference to the information above, briefly explain how social influence processes can lead

to social change. (4 marks)

SAMPLE

More Psychology revision and support at:

www.tutor2u.net/psychology

@tutor2uPsych

ALevelPsychStudentGroup

tutor2uPsych

SAMPLE

AQA A LevelPsychologyTopic Assessments

Mark SchemesSocial Influence(Edition 1)

h Types & Explanations for Conformityh Asch’s Research & Zimbardo’s Researchh Milgram’s Research & Situational Variablesh Explanations for Obedienceh Explanations of Resistance to Social Influenceh Minority Influenceh Social Change

TOPIC ASSESSMENT

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Types & Explanations for Conformity 1 Which of these statements about informational social influence is false? A It often occurs in new or ambiguous situations. B It is more likely to occur if you think that the group knows more than you do. C It occurs because we want to be accepted by the majority. D It does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way.

(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = C 2 Which of these is a type of conformity? A Informational B Internalisation C Interference D Interactions

(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = B 3 Briefly explain what is meant by compliance in the context of conformity.

(2 marks) Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by compliance. 1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT: h A type of conformity where the person changes their public behaviour but not their private beliefs h Normally a short-term change that occurs due to normative social influence (NSI). Credit other relevant information.

SAMPLE


AQA A Level Psychology Types & Explanations for Conformity 1 Which of these statements about informational social influence is false? A It often occurs in new or ambiguous situations. B It is more likely to occur if you think that the group knows more than you do. C It occurs because we want to be accepted by the majority. D It does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way.

(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = C 2 Which of these is a type of conformity? A Informational B Internalisation C Interference D Interactions

(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = B 3 Briefly explain what is meant by compliance in the context of conformity.

(2 marks) Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by compliance. 1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT: h A type of conformity where the person changes their public behaviour but not their private beliefs h Normally a short-term change that occurs due to normative social influence (NSI). Credit other relevant information.


4 Explain which type of conformity Carl is showing and which type of conformity Jenny is showing.

(4 marks) Marks for this question: AO2 = 4 h 1 mark for correctly identifying that Carl is showing internalization. Plus h 1 mark for a brief, coherent explanation (e.g. because he has accepted the group norm of liking the

band, leading to him listening to their music in private as well as in public). h 1 mark for correctly identifying that Jenny is showing identification. Plus h 1 mark for a brief, coherent explanation (e.g. because she values her new workmates and wants to

be part of their group, so has changed her public behaviour but is still not sure she likes the group). Credit other relevant material. 5 Explain what is meant by normative social influence in relation to conformity.

(3 marks) Marks for this question: AO1 = 3 h 3 marks for an elaborated explanation that is clear and coherent. (e.g. Normative social influence

occurs when a person conforms to be accepted and to feel that they belong to the group. Here a person conforms to avoid social rejection or feeling like they don’t fit in. Normative social influence usually leads to short-term conformity and is associated with compliance and identification.)

Or h 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation that is reasonably elaborated. (e.g. Normative social

influence is when a person conforms because they want to be accepted by others rather than rejected. It tends to lead to compliance, where a person changes their public behaviour but not their private beliefs).

Or h 1 mark for a brief or muddled explanation. (e.g. it is where a person conforms because they do not

want to be rejected.) Or h 0 marks for an answer which includes nothing of relevance.

SAMPLE


6 Evaluate informational social influence as an explanation for conformity. (4 marks)

Marks for this question: AO3 = 4 LEVEL MARKS DESCRIPTION

2 3-4 Evaluation is relevant, generally well-explained and focused on informational social influence as an explanation for conformity. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1-2 Evaluation is relevant, although there is a limited explanation and/or a limited focus on informational social influence as an explanation for conformity. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately or is absent.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE EVALUATION: h Evidence to support the role of informational social influence and its prediction that conformity

occurs more in ambiguous situations. For example, Lucas et al. (2006) found that students showed greater conformity to incorrect answers to mathematical problems when they were difficult rather than easy. This was most true for students who rated their mathematical ability as poor.

h Informational social influence does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way, meaning that individual differences play a role. For example, Perrin and Spencer (1980) conducted an Asch-style experiment, using engineering students in the UK. Only one conforming response was observed out of nearly 400 trials. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the students felt more confident in their ability to judge line lengths because of their experience in engineering.

h In the real world, informational and normative social influence may work together, rather than operating independently. Informational social influence suggests that we conform because we want to be right, but it is important to consider why we feel it is so important to be right. This may be due to concerns about social disapproval, in which case normative social influence is also involved.

Credit other relevant evaluation. SAMPLE


6 Evaluate informational social influence as an explanation for conformity. (4 marks)


2 3-4 Evaluation is relevant, generally well-explained and focused on informational social influence as an explanation for conformity. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1-2 Evaluation is relevant, although there is a limited explanation and/or a limited focus on informational social influence as an explanation for conformity. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately or is absent.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE EVALUATION: h Evidence to support the role of informational social influence and its prediction that conformity

occurs more in ambiguous situations. For example, Lucas et al. (2006) found that students showed greater conformity to incorrect answers to mathematical problems when they were difficult rather than easy. This was most true for students who rated their mathematical ability as poor.

h Informational social influence does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way, meaning that individual differences play a role. For example, Perrin and Spencer (1980) conducted an Asch-style experiment, using engineering students in the UK. Only one conforming response was observed out of nearly 400 trials. Perhaps this was due to the fact that the students felt more confident in their ability to judge line lengths because of their experience in engineering.

h In the real world, informational and normative social influence may work together, rather than operating independently. Informational social influence suggests that we conform because we want to be right, but it is important to consider why we feel it is so important to be right. This may be due to concerns about social disapproval, in which case normative social influence is also involved.

Credit other relevant evaluation.

AQA A Level Psychology Asch’s Research & Zimbardo’s Research 1 Which one of these statements about the findings of Asch’s conformity research is false? A Approximately 25% of the participants did not conform on any of the trials. B When the participants were interviewed afterwards, most said that they conformed



were present.

(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = C 2 Which one of these statements about Zimbardo’s research into conformity to social roles is


(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = C 3 Briefly outline how Asch examined conformity.

(3 marks) Marks for this question: AO1 = 3 LEVEL MARKS DESCRIPTION

3 3 Outline of how Asch examined conformity is clear, coherent and mostly accurate. Specialist terminology is used effectively.

2 2 Outline of how Asch examined conformity is appropriate but the answer has some inaccuracies or lacks clarity. Specialist terminology is sometimes used effectively.

1 1 Outline of how Asch examined conformity is limited/very limited. Specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriately used.

SAMPLE


CONTENT: h Asch’s original sample consisted of 123 male undergraduates who believed they were taking part in a

vision test. h The participants placed in a group with 6 to 8 confederates. h The participants were shown two cards, one with 3 lines (comparison lines) the other with 1 line

(standard line) and had to say which of the lines was the same length as the standard line. h The participants were not aware that the other ‘participants’ were confederates; they were was

always seated second to last. h There were 18 trials, and the confederates gave the same wrong answer on 12 of the trials (critical

trials). Credit other relevant material. For example, details of how the effect of group size, unanimity and task difficulty on conformity were tested by Asch. No marks should be awarded for the findings.




2 3 - 4 Knowledge of conformity research is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain Megan’s behaviour. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of terminology.

1 1 - 2 There is limited/partial knowledge of conformity research. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. The use of specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriate.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h Asch found that group size had an effect on conformity, increasing until there were 3 confederates

and then remaining the fairly constant at ~32%. Megan’s three friends all gave the same answer to the difficult question, and this may have increased the pressure on her to change her answer.

h Asch found that task difficulty led to an increase in conformity due to informational social influence. This may explain why Megan conformed to her friends for the difficult question but not for the easy question.

SAMPLE


CONTENT: h Asch’s original sample consisted of 123 male undergraduates who believed they were taking part in a

vision test. h The participants placed in a group with 6 to 8 confederates. h The participants were shown two cards, one with 3 lines (comparison lines) the other with 1 line

(standard line) and had to say which of the lines was the same length as the standard line. h The participants were not aware that the other ‘participants’ were confederates; they were was

always seated second to last. h There were 18 trials, and the confederates gave the same wrong answer on 12 of the trials (critical

trials). Credit other relevant material. For example, details of how the effect of group size, unanimity and task difficulty on conformity were tested by Asch. No marks should be awarded for the findings.




2 3 - 4 Knowledge of conformity research is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain Megan’s behaviour. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of terminology.

1 1 - 2 There is limited/partial knowledge of conformity research. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. The use of specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriate.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h Asch found that group size had an effect on conformity, increasing until there were 3 confederates

and then remaining the fairly constant at ~32%. Megan’s three friends all gave the same answer to the difficult question, and this may have increased the pressure on her to change her answer.

h Asch found that task difficulty led to an increase in conformity due to informational social influence. This may explain why Megan conformed to her friends for the difficult question but not for the easy question.

h Asch found that unanimity led to an increase in conformity and all of Megan’s friends have given the same answer that is different to hers. This would increase the pressure on Megan to conform.

Credit other relevant application. 5 Explain what is meant by the term social roles.

(2 marks) Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by the term social role. 1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT: h Social roles are the ‘parts’ people play when they belong to a social group or are in a particular

social situation. h They are based on expectations and reinforced by society. 6 Evaluate Zimbardo’s research examining conformity to social roles.


2 3 - 4 Evaluation is relevant, generally well-explained and focused on Zimbardo’s research examining conformity to social roles. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2 Evaluation is relevant, although there is a limited focus on Zimbardo’s research examining conformity to social roles. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately or is absent.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE EVALUATION: h Zimbardo’s conclusion that the behaviour occurred due to conformity to social roles has been

criticised. Some psychologists have argued that the participants were play-acting how they thought prisoners and guards should act rather than genuinely conforming to the roles. Others have pointed out that only a minority of the guards behaved in a brutal way and this could be due to dispositional factors, rather than situational factors making them feel pressure to conform to social roles.

h There is a lack of support for Zimbardo’s findings regarding conformity to social roles. For example, in more recent research by Reicher and Haslam (2006) the guards did not identify with their status

SAMPLE


and eventually it was the prisoners who took control of the prison. This suggests that conformity to social roles may not be automatic as Zimbardo originally suggested.

h Zimbardo attempted to rule out personality differences as an explanation for the behaviour of the prisoners and the guards, rather than conformity to social roles. The participants were screened, and only the most emotionally stable were chosen to take part.


SAMPLE


and eventually it was the prisoners who took control of the prison. This suggests that conformity to social roles may not be automatic as Zimbardo originally suggested.

h Zimbardo attempted to rule out personality differences as an explanation for the behaviour of the prisoners and the guards, rather than conformity to social roles. The participants were screened, and only the most emotionally stable were chosen to take part.


AQA A Level Psychology Milgram’s Research & Situational Variables 1 Which of the following findings from Milgram’s research into situation variables, is true? A When the experimenter wore ordinary clothes, 20% of participants went to 450 volts. B When the research was conducted in a run-down office building, 42.5% of




(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = A 2 Which of the following strengths of Milgram’s research into obedience is false? A Milgram’s research was well controlled. B Milgram’s findings have been supported by research in more realistic environments. C Milgram’s research examining situational factors has been praised by Mandel for



Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = C 3 Explain how Milgram investigated obedience.


2 3 - 4 Knowledge of how Milgram investigated obedience is mostly accurate with some detail. The answer is mostly clear and coherent with specialist terminology used appropriately.

1 1 - 2 There is limited/partial knowledge of how Milgram investigated obedience. The answer lacks clarity, accuracy and organisation. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate.

SAMPLE


POSSIBLE CONTENT: h Milgram’s sample consisted of 40 male American participants recruited through a newspaper advert

and paid $4.50 to take part. h They were all invited to Yale University, where they met the experimenter and another participant

(who were both confederates). h They ‘drew lots’ to see who would be assigned to each role, but this was fixed so that the real

participant was always assigned to the role of ‘teacher’. The real participant was instructed by the experimenter to administer an electric shock of increasing strength to the ‘learner’ every time he made a mistake when recalling a list of word pairs.

h The ‘learner’ was strapped into a chair in the room next door, and a shock was demonstrated to the teacher to make the ‘shocks’ appear real.

h The participant was required to test the learner’s ability to recall pairs of words. Each time the learner got an answer wrong the teacher was required to administer an electric shock of increasingly voltage, starting at 15 volts going up in intervals of 15 to 450 volts.

h At 300 volts (intense shock) the learner would bang on the wall and complain. After the 315-volt shock was administered, there were no further responses heard from the learner.

h The experiment continued until either the participant refused to continue or the maximum level of 450 volts was reached.

h If the teacher tried to stop the experiment, the experimenter would respond with a series of verbal prods, for example: ‘The experiment requires that you continue.’

Credit other relevant information. For example, details of Milgram’s variations to the baseline experiment. No marks should be awarded for findings. 4 Discuss one limitation of Milgram’s research into obedience.

(3 marks) Marks for this question: AO3 = 3 h 3 marks for a fully elaborated limitation that is clear and coherent (e.g. One limitation of Milgram’s

obedience research is that it has low internal validity. Orne and Holland argued that Milgram’s participants had seen through the deception and guessed that the shocks were not real. They acted in the way they did to please the experimenter and not spoil the experiment. This means that Milgram was not actually testing obedience to authority).

Or h 2 marks for a reasonably elaborated limitation (e.g. One limitation of Milgram’s obedience research

is that it has low internal validity as the participants may have seen through the deception and guessed that the shocks were not real. They may have acted in order to please the experimenter).

Or

SAMPLE


POSSIBLE CONTENT: h Milgram’s sample consisted of 40 male American participants recruited through a newspaper advert

and paid $4.50 to take part. h They were all invited to Yale University, where they met the experimenter and another participant

(who were both confederates). h They ‘drew lots’ to see who would be assigned to each role, but this was fixed so that the real

participant was always assigned to the role of ‘teacher’. The real participant was instructed by the experimenter to administer an electric shock of increasing strength to the ‘learner’ every time he made a mistake when recalling a list of word pairs.

h The ‘learner’ was strapped into a chair in the room next door, and a shock was demonstrated to the teacher to make the ‘shocks’ appear real.

h The participant was required to test the learner’s ability to recall pairs of words. Each time the learner got an answer wrong the teacher was required to administer an electric shock of increasingly voltage, starting at 15 volts going up in intervals of 15 to 450 volts.

h At 300 volts (intense shock) the learner would bang on the wall and complain. After the 315-volt shock was administered, there were no further responses heard from the learner.

h The experiment continued until either the participant refused to continue or the maximum level of 450 volts was reached.

h If the teacher tried to stop the experiment, the experimenter would respond with a series of verbal prods, for example: ‘The experiment requires that you continue.’

Credit other relevant information. For example, details of Milgram’s variations to the baseline experiment. No marks should be awarded for findings. 4 Discuss one limitation of Milgram’s research into obedience.

(3 marks) Marks for this question: AO3 = 3 h 3 marks for a fully elaborated limitation that is clear and coherent (e.g. One limitation of Milgram’s

obedience research is that it has low internal validity. Orne and Holland argued that Milgram’s participants had seen through the deception and guessed that the shocks were not real. They acted in the way they did to please the experimenter and not spoil the experiment. This means that Milgram was not actually testing obedience to authority).

Or h 2 marks for a reasonably elaborated limitation (e.g. One limitation of Milgram’s obedience research

is that it has low internal validity as the participants may have seen through the deception and guessed that the shocks were not real. They may have acted in order to please the experimenter).

Or

h 1 mark for a briefly stated limitation (e.g. One limitation is that the research has low internal validity as participants had realised the shocks were not real).

Or h 0 marks for an answer which includes nothing of relevance. POSSIBLE CONTENT: h The research has low internal validity. Orne and Holland argued that Milgram’s participants had seen

through the deception and guessed that the shocks were not real. They acted in order to please the experimenter and not to spoil the experiment. This means that Milgram was not actually testing obedience to authority.

h The research lacks ecological validity because Milgram conducted a laboratory study, which is very different from real-life situations of obedience. In everyday life, people often obey far more harmless instructions, rather than giving people electric shocks. This means that we cannot generalise his findings to real-life situations of obedience.

h The research has ethical issues, such as deception and a lack of protection from psychological harm. Milgram deceived his participants into believing that they were harming another person which may have caused them real distress.

h The research lacks population validity. This is because Milgram used a biased sample of 40 male American volunteers from a broadly individualistic society. Therefore, it is difficult to generalise the results to other populations.

Credit other relevant limitations. 5 Briefly explain what is meant by the term proximity in the context of obedience research.

(2 marks) Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by proximity in the context of obedience research. 1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT: h Proximity is a situational variable that has been shown to influence obedience. h It refers to how physically close someone is to the person giving the order, or to the person they are

being instructed to harm.

SAMPLE






2 3 - 4

Knowledge of the situational variables that affect obedience is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain the differences between Matt’s and Abby’s behaviour. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of the situational variables that affect obedience. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one situational variable included. OR only the difference in either Abby or Matt’s behaviour explained.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h Location is one situational variable that affects obedience. When the librarian asked Matt to put the

litter in the bin in the library, the status of the location (college library) would have made it more likely that he would obey the instruction, compared to when he was at the bus stop.

h Uniform is another situational variable that affects obedience. Abby ignored the librarian’s request to pick up litter at the bus stop because she was not wearing a uniform that signifies authority. However, the security guard would have been wearing a uniform that symbolised his greater authority, and this is why she obeyed him.

Credit other relevant application.

SAMPLE






2 3 - 4

Knowledge of the situational variables that affect obedience is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain the differences between Matt’s and Abby’s behaviour. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of the situational variables that affect obedience. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one situational variable included. OR only the difference in either Abby or Matt’s behaviour explained.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h Location is one situational variable that affects obedience. When the librarian asked Matt to put the

litter in the bin in the library, the status of the location (college library) would have made it more likely that he would obey the instruction, compared to when he was at the bus stop.

h Uniform is another situational variable that affects obedience. Abby ignored the librarian’s request to pick up litter at the bus stop because she was not wearing a uniform that signifies authority. However, the security guard would have been wearing a uniform that symbolised his greater authority, and this is why she obeyed him.


AQA A Level Psychology Explanations for Obedience 1 Which of these statements about the agentic state explanation of obedience is false? A The opposite of the agentic state is the autonomous state. B A person in the agentic state feels free to behave according to their own principles. C Binding factors keep people within the agentic state. D If a person is in the agentic state, they see other people as responsible for their

behaviour.

(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = B 2 Which of the following statements about research into the authoritarian personality is true? A The research by Adorno et al. was looking at conscious attitudes towards other racial

groups.




(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = D 3 Briefly explain what is meant by the term legitimate authority in the context of obedience.

(2 marks) Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by legitimate authority in the context of obedience. 1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT: h Someone with a position of power within a social hierarchy.

SAMPLE


h Someone who has the power to punish us if we do not obey their orders.




2 3 - 4 Knowledge of the explanations of obedience is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain John’s behaviour. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of the explanations of obedience. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one explanation of obedience included.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h One explanation for obedience is legitimate authority. John’s manager has a position above him in

the social hierarchy and has the power to punish him if he refused to obey his order and tell the member of staff that she no longer had a job.

h Another explanation is the shift from an autonomous state to the agentic state. John’s manager has said that he is responsible for the decision to sack the member of staff, so John does not feel morally responsible and instead believes that he is just doing as he is told.


SAMPLE


h Someone who has the power to punish us if we do not obey their orders.




2 3 - 4 Knowledge of the explanations of obedience is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain John’s behaviour. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of the explanations of obedience. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one explanation of obedience included.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h One explanation for obedience is legitimate authority. John’s manager has a position above him in

the social hierarchy and has the power to punish him if he refused to obey his order and tell the member of staff that she no longer had a job.

h Another explanation is the shift from an autonomous state to the agentic state. John’s manager has said that he is responsible for the decision to sack the member of staff, so John does not feel morally responsible and instead believes that he is just doing as he is told.


5 Briefly outline one dispositional explanation for obedience. (3 marks)


3 3 The outline of one dispositional explanation for obedience is clear, coherent and mostly accurate. Specialist terminology is used effectively.

2 2 The outline of one dispositional explanation for obedience is appropriate but has some inaccuracies or lacks clarity. Specialist terminology is sometimes used effectively.

1 1 The outline of one dispositional explanation for obedience is limited/very limited. Specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriately used.

POSSIBLE CONTENT: h Adorno et al. found that people with an authoritarian personality are more likely to obey authority

figures because they have extreme respect for those they see as having a higher status. h Other characteristics shown by those with an authoritarian personality are being very inflexible in

their outlook, having highly conventional attitudes, and showing contempt for those they see as having lower status.

h Adorno et al. concluded that this personality type is formed in childhood as a result of harsh parenting. This creates resentment and hostility that is then displaced onto those who are perceived as being weaker.

Credit other relevant information. 6 Evaluate the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience.


2 3 - 4 The evaluation is relevant, generally well-explained and focused on the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2 The evaluation is relevant, although there is a limited focus on the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately or is absent.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE EVALUATION: h Research support for the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience. For example,

SAMPLE


Milgram and Elms (1966) conducted post-experimental interviews with participants who were fully obedient in Milgram’s original study and found that the obedient participants scored higher on the F-scale in comparison to the disobedient participants. The obedient participants were less close to their fathers during childhood and admired the experimenter in Milgram’s study, which was the opposite for disobedient participants.

h Evidence to challenge the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience. For example, Middendorp and Meleon (1990) found that less-educated people are more likely than well-educated people to display authoritarian personality characteristics. This means it may not be authoritarian personality characteristics alone that lead to obedience, but levels of education.

h Problems associated with the measures used to determine authoritarian personality traits may threaten the validity of the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience. It has been suggested that the F-scale suffers from response bias or social desirability, and participants may appear more authoritarian because they believe that their answers are socially ‘correct’ and are incorrectly classified as authoritarian when they are not.


SAMPLE


Milgram and Elms (1966) conducted post-experimental interviews with participants who were fully obedient in Milgram’s original study and found that the obedient participants scored higher on the F-scale in comparison to the disobedient participants. The obedient participants were less close to their fathers during childhood and admired the experimenter in Milgram’s study, which was the opposite for disobedient participants.

h Evidence to challenge the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience. For example, Middendorp and Meleon (1990) found that less-educated people are more likely than well-educated people to display authoritarian personality characteristics. This means it may not be authoritarian personality characteristics alone that lead to obedience, but levels of education.

h Problems associated with the measures used to determine authoritarian personality traits may threaten the validity of the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience. It has been suggested that the F-scale suffers from response bias or social desirability, and participants may appear more authoritarian because they believe that their answers are socially ‘correct’ and are incorrectly classified as authoritarian when they are not.


AQA A Level Psychology Explanations of resistance to Social Influence 1 Which of these statements does not support social support as a valid explanation for resistance






(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = C 2 Which of the following statements about the locus of control is true? A Rutter was the first person to propose the concept of locus of control. B People with an internal locus of control are more likely to conform or obey. C People with an internal locus of control tend to be less self-confident than those with



(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = D 3 Briefly explain what is meant by the term social support in the context of resistance to social


Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by the term social support in the context of social influence.

SAMPLE


1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT h Social support in the context of social influence refers to the presence of another person who resists

the pressure to conform or obey. h This person acts as a model and shows other people that it is possible to resist social influence.





2 3 - 4

Knowledge of the explanations for resistance to social influence is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain Kim and Josie’s behaviour. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of the explanations for resistance to social influence. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one explanation for resistance to social influence is included. OR only either Kim or Josie’s behaviour is explained.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h Kim has an internal locus of control as she believes that the events in her life are mostly under her

control. This is illustrated by her believing that you make your own luck and if you work hard, you will do well. Research has shown that people with an internal locus of control are more likely to resist pressure to conform which is why Kim is prepared to volunteer even if no-one else does.

h Josie has an external locus of control which means that she is less likely to resist pressure to conform which is why she does not put up her hand to volunteer.

SAMPLE


1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT h Social support in the context of social influence refers to the presence of another person who resists

the pressure to conform or obey. h This person acts as a model and shows other people that it is possible to resist social influence.





2 3 - 4

Knowledge of the explanations for resistance to social influence is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain Kim and Josie’s behaviour. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of the explanations for resistance to social influence. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one explanation for resistance to social influence is included. OR only either Kim or Josie’s behaviour is explained.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h Kim has an internal locus of control as she believes that the events in her life are mostly under her

control. This is illustrated by her believing that you make your own luck and if you work hard, you will do well. Research has shown that people with an internal locus of control are more likely to resist pressure to conform which is why Kim is prepared to volunteer even if no-one else does.

h Josie has an external locus of control which means that she is less likely to resist pressure to conform which is why she does not put up her hand to volunteer.

h When Josie receives social support by seeing Kim put up her hand to volunteer, she feels able to volunteer as well because she sees that it is possible to resist the pressure and avoid normative social influence.

Credit other relevant application. 5 Outline locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence.


3 3 The outline of locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence is clear, coherent and mostly accurate. Specialist terminology is used effectively.

2 2 The outline of locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence is appropriate but has some inaccuracies or lacks clarity. Specialist terminology is sometimes used effectively.

1 1 The outline of locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence is limited/very limited. Specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriately used.

POSSIBLE CONTENT: h Locus of control (LOC) is a personality factor that can influence whether people are able to resist

pressure to conform or obey. h LOC was first proposed by Rotter (1966) and is the extent to which people believe they have control

over their own lives. h People with an internal LOC believe that what happens in their life is largely the result of their own

behaviour and that they have control over their life. This means they are more independent and find it easier to resist pressure to conform or obey.

h People with an external LOC believe that what happens to them is controlled by external factors and that they do not have complete control over their life. This means they are less likely to resist pressure to conform or obey.

Credit other relevant information.

SAMPLE


6 Evaluate locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence. (4 marks)

Marks for this question: AO3 = 4 LEVEL MARKS

2 3 - 4 The evaluation is relevant, generally well-explained and focused on locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2 The evaluation is relevant, although there is a limited focus on locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately or is absent.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE EVALUATION: h Research that supports the idea that individuals with an internal locus of control are more likely to

resist pressure to conform or obey. For example, Spector (1983) found that students with a high internal locus of control were less likely to conform than those with a high external locus of control, but only in situations of normative social influence, where individuals conform to be accepted.

h Research that challenges the idea that individuals with an internal locus of control are more likely to resist pressure to conform or obey. For example, Twenge et al. (1967) conducted a meta-analysis of studies spanning over four decades and found that, over time, people have become more external in their locus of control but also more resistant to obedience, which does not support Rotter’s explanation.

h Some researchers claim that the role of LOC in resisting social influence may have been exaggerated. This is because Rotter himself pointed out that LOC only comes into play in novel situations and has very little role to play in familiar situations where our previous experience is more important. This suggests that people who have conformed or obeyed in the past are more likely to do so again, regardless of whether they have an internal or an external LOC.


SAMPLE


6 Evaluate locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence. (4 marks)


2 3 - 4 The evaluation is relevant, generally well-explained and focused on locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2 The evaluation is relevant, although there is a limited focus on locus of control as an explanation for resistance to social influence. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately or is absent.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE EVALUATION: h Research that supports the idea that individuals with an internal locus of control are more likely to

resist pressure to conform or obey. For example, Spector (1983) found that students with a high internal locus of control were less likely to conform than those with a high external locus of control, but only in situations of normative social influence, where individuals conform to be accepted.

h Research that challenges the idea that individuals with an internal locus of control are more likely to resist pressure to conform or obey. For example, Twenge et al. (1967) conducted a meta-analysis of studies spanning over four decades and found that, over time, people have become more external in their locus of control but also more resistant to obedience, which does not support Rotter’s explanation.

h Some researchers claim that the role of LOC in resisting social influence may have been exaggerated. This is because Rotter himself pointed out that LOC only comes into play in novel situations and has very little role to play in familiar situations where our previous experience is more important. This suggests that people who have conformed or obeyed in the past are more likely to do so again, regardless of whether they have an internal or an external LOC.


AQA A Level Psychology Minority Influence 1 Which one of these statements about minority influence is false? A Minority influence occurs quickly. B Minority influence is very likely to lead to internalisation. C Minority influence is able to explain innovation (new ways of doing things). D Minority influence is difficult to study in laboratory experiments.

(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = A 2 Which one of these findings of research into minority influence is correct? A Moscovici found that 37% of participants gave the same wrong answer as the





(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = B

SAMPLE


3 Briefly outline one research study that investigated minority influence. (3 marks)


3 3 Outline of one research study that has investigated minority influence is clear, coherent and mostly accurate. Specialist terminology is used effectively.

2 2 Outline of one research study that has investigated minority influence is appropriate but has some inaccuracies or lacks clarity. Specialist terminology is sometimes used effectively.

1 1 Outline of one research study that has investigated minority influence is limited/very limited. Specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriately used.

POSSIBLE CONTENT: h Moscovici told participants that they were taking part in a colour perception task. They were placed

in groups of six and shown 36 slides, which were all varying shades of blue. The participants had to state out loud the colour of each slide.

h Two of the six participants were confederates and in one condition (consistent) the two confederates said that all 36 slides were green; in the second condition (inconsistent) the confederates said that 24 of the slides were green and 12 were blue.

h Moscovici found that in the consistent condition, the real participants agreed on 8.2% of the trials, whereas in the inconsistent condition, the real participants only agreed on 1.25% of the trials.

Credit other relevant studies that have investigated minority influence (e.g. Nemeth, 1986). 4 Evaluate research which has investigated minority influence.

(4 marks) Marks for this question: AO3 = 4 LEVEL MARKS

2 3 - 4 The evaluation is relevant, generally well-explained and focused on research which has investigated minority influence. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2 The evaluation is relevant, although there is a limited focus on research which has investigated minority influence. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately or is absent.

0 No relevant content.

SAMPLE


3 Briefly outline one research study that investigated minority influence. (3 marks)


3 3 Outline of one research study that has investigated minority influence is clear, coherent and mostly accurate. Specialist terminology is used effectively.

2 2 Outline of one research study that has investigated minority influence is appropriate but has some inaccuracies or lacks clarity. Specialist terminology is sometimes used effectively.

1 1 Outline of one research study that has investigated minority influence is limited/very limited. Specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriately used.

POSSIBLE CONTENT: h Moscovici told participants that they were taking part in a colour perception task. They were placed

in groups of six and shown 36 slides, which were all varying shades of blue. The participants had to state out loud the colour of each slide.

h Two of the six participants were confederates and in one condition (consistent) the two confederates said that all 36 slides were green; in the second condition (inconsistent) the confederates said that 24 of the slides were green and 12 were blue.

h Moscovici found that in the consistent condition, the real participants agreed on 8.2% of the trials, whereas in the inconsistent condition, the real participants only agreed on 1.25% of the trials.

Credit other relevant studies that have investigated minority influence (e.g. Nemeth, 1986). 4 Evaluate research which has investigated minority influence.


2 3 - 4 The evaluation is relevant, generally well-explained and focused on research which has investigated minority influence. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of specialist terminology.

1 1 - 2 The evaluation is relevant, although there is a limited focus on research which has investigated minority influence. Specialist terminology is not always used appropriately or is absent.

0 No relevant content.

POSSIBLE EVALUATION: h A strength of Moscovici’s research is that it was a well-controlled laboratory experiment that has high

internal validity. This means that the differences in agreement between the two conditions were due to the manipulation of the independent variable (consistent or inconsistent confederates).

h Moscovici’s findings regarding consistency have been supported by other research. For example, Wood et al. (1994) carried out a meta-analysis of nearly 100 similar studies and found that minorities who were consistent were the most influential.

h One limitation of Moscovici’s research is that there are methodological issues. Judging the colour of a slide is an artificial task and therefore lacks mundane realism, since it is not something that occurs every day. The research conditions are criticised for being too far removed from cases of real-world minority influence (e.g. political campaigning).

h Moscovici’s research has also been criticised for having low population validity as he used a sample of 172 female participants from America. As a result, it is not possible to generalise the results to other populations or males.

Credit other relevant evaluation. 5 Explain what is meant by the term flexibility in the context of minority influence.

(2 marks) Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by the term flexibility in the context of minority influence. 1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT: h Flexibility, in the context of social influence, means that the minority is prepared to adapt their point

of view and accept valid and reasonable counter-arguments. h A minority which is prepared to compromise more effective than a rigid and dogmatic minority.

SAMPLE






2 3 - 4

Knowledge of minority influence research is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain two ways that David could persuade his friends. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of minority research. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one way that David could persuade his friends has been explained.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h David could be consistent in his persuasion by continuing to offer reasons why going to watch the

football would be better than going to the cinema. h David could be flexible in his persuasion by saying that if they went to watch the football this

Saturday, then they could go to the cinema on Sunday or next Saturday. h David could show commitment/augmentation principle by offering to sort out the tickets for the

football or arranging transport for them to get there.


SAMPLE






2 3 - 4

Knowledge of minority influence research is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to explain two ways that David could persuade his friends. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of minority research. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one way that David could persuade his friends has been explained.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h David could be consistent in his persuasion by continuing to offer reasons why going to watch the

football would be better than going to the cinema. h David could be flexible in his persuasion by saying that if they went to watch the football this

Saturday, then they could go to the cinema on Sunday or next Saturday. h David could show commitment/augmentation principle by offering to sort out the tickets for the

football or arranging transport for them to get there.


AQA A Level Psychology Social Change 1 Which one of the following statements about the role of minority influence in social change is





(1 mark) Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = B 2 Which one of these statements about the role of social influence processes in social change is






Marks for this question: AO1 = 1 Correct answer = D

SAMPLE


3 Explain what is meant by the term social change in the context of minority influence. (2 marks)

Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by the term social change. 1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT: h Social change refers to the ways in which a society (rather than an individual) develops over time. h With social change old beliefs, attitudes and behaviour are replaced with new norms and

expectations.

4 Outline the role of one social influence process in social change.


3 3 Outline of the role of one social influence process in social change is clear, coherent and mostly accurate. Specialist terminology is used effectively.

2 2 Outline of the role of one social influence process is appropriate but has some inaccuracies or lacks clarity. Specialist terminology is sometimes used effectively.

1 1 Outline of the role of one social influence process is limited/very limited. Specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriately used.

POSSIBLE CONTENT: h Consistency of message and intent in a minority group can bring about social change as it helps the

minority to appear more credible and can help to convince the majority. h The augmentation principle can bring about social change as if the minority engages in selfless and

risky behaviours then the majority is more likely to pay attention and to integrate the minority group’s opinion into their own personal viewpoint.

h Drawing attention to a problem by providing social proof can lead to social change as the majority group needs to be made aware that there is a need for change.

h The snowball effect is a process that takes effect once the minority viewpoint has got the attention of some of the majority group members. Gradually more and more people begin paying attention, and the minority viewpoint gathers momentum.

h Social change can be encouraged by reporting the behaviour or attitudes of the majority, to urge others to follow suit due to normative social influence.

SAMPLE


3 Explain what is meant by the term social change in the context of minority influence. (2 marks)

Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 2 marks for a clear and coherent explanation of what is meant by the term social change. 1 mark for a limited or muddled explanation. CONTENT: h Social change refers to the ways in which a society (rather than an individual) develops over time. h With social change old beliefs, attitudes and behaviour are replaced with new norms and

expectations.

4 Outline the role of one social influence process in social change.


3 3 Outline of the role of one social influence process in social change is clear, coherent and mostly accurate. Specialist terminology is used effectively.

2 2 Outline of the role of one social influence process is appropriate but has some inaccuracies or lacks clarity. Specialist terminology is sometimes used effectively.

1 1 Outline of the role of one social influence process is limited/very limited. Specialist terminology is either absent or inappropriately used.

POSSIBLE CONTENT: h Consistency of message and intent in a minority group can bring about social change as it helps the

minority to appear more credible and can help to convince the majority. h The augmentation principle can bring about social change as if the minority engages in selfless and

risky behaviours then the majority is more likely to pay attention and to integrate the minority group’s opinion into their own personal viewpoint.

h Drawing attention to a problem by providing social proof can lead to social change as the majority group needs to be made aware that there is a need for change.

h The snowball effect is a process that takes effect once the minority viewpoint has got the attention of some of the majority group members. Gradually more and more people begin paying attention, and the minority viewpoint gathers momentum.

h Social change can be encouraged by reporting the behaviour or attitudes of the majority, to urge others to follow suit due to normative social influence.

h Once people have obeyed a small instruction, it is harder for larger requests to be declined. This is often referred to as ‘the foot in the door technique’ (or gradual commitment) and means that people effectively find themselves adopting new ways of behaving gradually over a period of time.

Credit other relevant social influence processes (e.g. social cryptoamnesia, deeper processing).

There have been concerns expressed in the media about the negative effects of too much use of smartphones and tablets by young children. Staff at a primary school want to change the attitudes of the parents regarding their children’s usage.

5 Using your knowledge of the role of social influence processes in social change, what advice

would you give the staff at the school? (4 marks)


2 3 - 4

The knowledge of the role of social influence processes in social change is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately in order to give advice to the staff at the school. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of the role of social influence processes in social change. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. Or advice is only based on one social influence process in social change.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h The staff need to be consistent when presenting information to parents regarding the effects of too

much use of smartphones and tablets on young children. The different staff need to all give the same messages, and the messages need to be consistent in their focus on the negative effects.

h The school staff need to engage in some selfless behaviour in order to make use of the augmentation principle. They could all agree to do without social media for a certain period of time (e.g. a month) and encourage parents to do the same with their children.

h The staff in the school could draw attention to the problems by presenting the parents with research findings regarding the negative effects of too much smartphone or tablet use on children’s development. This could be done through a letter home and/or a talk on parents evening.

h The staff could make use of normative social influence, by informing parents that the majority of parents in their area are now restricting the amount of time that their young children spend on smartphones or tablets.


SAMPLE


According to an article in the Guardian in 2016, there had been a 350% increase in veganism over the previous 10 years, a rise that they claimed was driven by young people, as 42% of vegans in their survey were aged 15-34, compared to 14% who were over 65. A lot of the young people questioned said that the main driving force was social media and use of the internet.




2 3 - 4

Knowledge of how social influence processes can lead to social change is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to the information in the newspaper article. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of how social influence processes can lead to social change. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one social influence process has been explained.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h Drawing attention to a problem by providing social proof can lead to social change. For example,

pressure groups and societies use social media to tell people about animal cruelty, and this highlights that there is a need to change our eating habits. Young people are more likely to spend time on social media than older adults so are more likely to see and pay attention to these messages.

h Once a relatively large number of people have become vegan and are promoting this on social media then the snowball effects will come into play, and more and more young people will become vegan, as illustrated in the 350% increase over 10 years.

h Pressure groups and societies present consistent messages about animal cruelty, especially in the meat and farming industries, on social media. This is viewed by young people more than older people, leading to a greater increase in the younger age group becoming vegan.

h Because veganism has become more and more common over previous years, those in the 15-34 age group may not be aware or may have forgotten that it was once a minority eating behaviour that was often perceived in a very negative way (social cryptoamnesia). This means they may be more likely to be persuaded by the information they see about veganism and animal cruelty on social media than older people.


SAMPLE

www.tutor2u.net/psychology AQA A Level Psychology Unit Assessment Page 29

Blank pageAccording to an article in the Guardian in 2016, there had been a 350% increase in veganism over the previous 10 years, a rise that they claimed was driven by young people, as 42% of vegans in their survey were aged 15-34, compared to 14% who were over 65. A lot of the young people questioned said that the main driving force was social media and use of the internet.




2 3 - 4

Knowledge of how social influence processes can lead to social change is mostly clear and accurate. The knowledge is applied appropriately to the information in the newspaper article. The answer is generally coherent with effective use of terminology.

1 1 - 2

There is limited/partial knowledge of how social influence processes can lead to social change. There is some appropriate application. The answer may lack coherence. Use of terminology may be either absent or inappropriate. OR only one social influence process has been explained.

0 No relevant content. POSSIBLE APPLICATION: h Drawing attention to a problem by providing social proof can lead to social change. For example,

pressure groups and societies use social media to tell people about animal cruelty, and this highlights that there is a need to change our eating habits. Young people are more likely to spend time on social media than older adults so are more likely to see and pay attention to these messages.

h Once a relatively large number of people have become vegan and are promoting this on social media then the snowball effects will come into play, and more and more young people will become vegan, as illustrated in the 350% increase over 10 years.

h Pressure groups and societies present consistent messages about animal cruelty, especially in the meat and farming industries, on social media. This is viewed by young people more than older people, leading to a greater increase in the younger age group becoming vegan.

h Because veganism has become more and more common over previous years, those in the 15-34 age group may not be aware or may have forgotten that it was once a minority eating behaviour that was often perceived in a very negative way (social cryptoamnesia). This means they may be more likely to be persuaded by the information they see about veganism and animal cruelty on social media than older people.


SAMPLE

More Psychology revision and support at:

www.tutor2u.net/psychology

@tutor2uPsych

ALevelPsychStudentGroup

tutor2uPsych

SAMPLE

Documents

AQA Psychology Topic Test Social QP Sample - Amazon S3