A-LEVEL PAPER1 AQA PSYCHOLOGY EXAM UPDATED 2025
WITH QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS GRADED A+
what are the 3 types of conformity VERIFIED ANSWER
Internalisation, identification, compliance
Internalisation VERIFIED ANSWER A deep type of conformity where
we take on the majority view because we believe it to be correct -
permanent behaviour change. ISI.
Identification VERIFIED ANSWER A moderate type of conformity
where we act in the same way as the majority because we value it and
want to be part of it. Don't necessarily agree with all of it. NSI
Compliance VERIFIED ANSWER A temporary type of conformity
where we outwardly go along with the majority view, but privately
disagree with it. NSI.
Conformity VERIFIED ANSWER A change in a person's behaviour or
opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group
of people
2 explanations for why people conform VERIFIED ANSWER
informational social influence
normative social influence
,Information social influence (ISI) VERIFIED ANSWER Agreeing with
the majority view/behaviour because we believe they know better or are
more likely to be right
Normative social influence (NSI) VERIFIED ANSWER Agreeing with
the majority because we want to be liked and/or do not want to be
rejected
Research support for ISI VERIFIED ANSWER Lucas et al asked
students to give answers to maths problems that were easy or difficult.
There was greater conformity to incorrect answers on the difficult
questions rather than easy ones
Individual differences for NSI VERIFIED ANSWER people who are
less concerned for being liked are less influenced by normative social
influence than those who care about being liked. Therefore there are
individual differences in the way people respond
Research support for NSI VERIFIED ANSWER Asch (1951) found that
many participants chose the clearly incorrect answers just because others
did. When asked why, some participants said they were afraid of
disapproval. When the experiment was repeated but asked participants to
write down their answers, conformity rates dropped to 12%. Supporting
normative social influence
Asch's Procedure VERIFIED ANSWER -123 male American students
tested
,-Participants sat around a table asked to look at three lines of different
lengths. Then took turns to call out which of the three lines they thought
was the same length as a 'standard' line
-Real participant always answering second to last
-12 of 18 critical trials, confederates instructed to give incorrect answers
Asch's findings VERIFIED ANSWER average conformity rate was
33%, mostly normative social influence as they conformed to avoid
rejection. 25% never conformed.
variables affecting conformity VERIFIED ANSWER -Group size -
Conformity increased to 32% with a majority of three but not further.
-The unanimity of the majority - Conformity rate dropped with a
dissenter (whether right or wrong)
-The difficulty of the task - Conformity increased as the task got harder,
mainly informational social influence.
Evaluate Asch's research (weakness) 1 VERIFIED ANSWER Perrin &
spencer - repeated the study the in the UK & only 1 student conformed
in a total of 396 trials. During Asch research there was a strong anti-
communist period and thus people were more scared and so conformed
to the majority.
Evaluate Asch's research (weakness) 2 VERIFIED ANSWER Demand
characteristics - participants knew they were in research and may have
simply gone along with the demands of the situation. Limitation because
it becomes an extraneous variable which effects the results
, Evaluate Asch's research (weakness) 3 VERIFIED ANSWER
Androcentric - only US male students were tested - limited application
to world. Study is conducted in an individualistic culture the US, other
studies show that conformity rates are much higher in collectivist
cultures showing that the study can only be applied to American males.
Social roles VERIFIED ANSWER The parts people play as members of
various social groups, and the expected behaviour of a person in this role
Zimbardo's Aims VERIFIED ANSWER He wanted to investigate the
situational explanation behind why police were so brutal in American
prisons
Zimbardo's procedure VERIFIED ANSWER -Mock prison in basement
of Stanford university
-Emotionally stable 24 US male students volunteered
-They were randomly assigned to play as guard or prisoner
-Prisoners were arrested in their own home, they were given a uniform
and a number (guards referred to them only by these numbers)
-Guards had uniforms, reflective sunglasses, and a wooden club
Zimbardo's findings VERIFIED ANSWER Stopped after 6 days instead
of 14 days. After 2 days prisoners rebelled, gaurds supressed the
rebellion and treated prisoners harshly
WITH QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS GRADED A+
what are the 3 types of conformity VERIFIED ANSWER
Internalisation, identification, compliance
Internalisation VERIFIED ANSWER A deep type of conformity where
we take on the majority view because we believe it to be correct -
permanent behaviour change. ISI.
Identification VERIFIED ANSWER A moderate type of conformity
where we act in the same way as the majority because we value it and
want to be part of it. Don't necessarily agree with all of it. NSI
Compliance VERIFIED ANSWER A temporary type of conformity
where we outwardly go along with the majority view, but privately
disagree with it. NSI.
Conformity VERIFIED ANSWER A change in a person's behaviour or
opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group
of people
2 explanations for why people conform VERIFIED ANSWER
informational social influence
normative social influence
,Information social influence (ISI) VERIFIED ANSWER Agreeing with
the majority view/behaviour because we believe they know better or are
more likely to be right
Normative social influence (NSI) VERIFIED ANSWER Agreeing with
the majority because we want to be liked and/or do not want to be
rejected
Research support for ISI VERIFIED ANSWER Lucas et al asked
students to give answers to maths problems that were easy or difficult.
There was greater conformity to incorrect answers on the difficult
questions rather than easy ones
Individual differences for NSI VERIFIED ANSWER people who are
less concerned for being liked are less influenced by normative social
influence than those who care about being liked. Therefore there are
individual differences in the way people respond
Research support for NSI VERIFIED ANSWER Asch (1951) found that
many participants chose the clearly incorrect answers just because others
did. When asked why, some participants said they were afraid of
disapproval. When the experiment was repeated but asked participants to
write down their answers, conformity rates dropped to 12%. Supporting
normative social influence
Asch's Procedure VERIFIED ANSWER -123 male American students
tested
,-Participants sat around a table asked to look at three lines of different
lengths. Then took turns to call out which of the three lines they thought
was the same length as a 'standard' line
-Real participant always answering second to last
-12 of 18 critical trials, confederates instructed to give incorrect answers
Asch's findings VERIFIED ANSWER average conformity rate was
33%, mostly normative social influence as they conformed to avoid
rejection. 25% never conformed.
variables affecting conformity VERIFIED ANSWER -Group size -
Conformity increased to 32% with a majority of three but not further.
-The unanimity of the majority - Conformity rate dropped with a
dissenter (whether right or wrong)
-The difficulty of the task - Conformity increased as the task got harder,
mainly informational social influence.
Evaluate Asch's research (weakness) 1 VERIFIED ANSWER Perrin &
spencer - repeated the study the in the UK & only 1 student conformed
in a total of 396 trials. During Asch research there was a strong anti-
communist period and thus people were more scared and so conformed
to the majority.
Evaluate Asch's research (weakness) 2 VERIFIED ANSWER Demand
characteristics - participants knew they were in research and may have
simply gone along with the demands of the situation. Limitation because
it becomes an extraneous variable which effects the results
, Evaluate Asch's research (weakness) 3 VERIFIED ANSWER
Androcentric - only US male students were tested - limited application
to world. Study is conducted in an individualistic culture the US, other
studies show that conformity rates are much higher in collectivist
cultures showing that the study can only be applied to American males.
Social roles VERIFIED ANSWER The parts people play as members of
various social groups, and the expected behaviour of a person in this role
Zimbardo's Aims VERIFIED ANSWER He wanted to investigate the
situational explanation behind why police were so brutal in American
prisons
Zimbardo's procedure VERIFIED ANSWER -Mock prison in basement
of Stanford university
-Emotionally stable 24 US male students volunteered
-They were randomly assigned to play as guard or prisoner
-Prisoners were arrested in their own home, they were given a uniform
and a number (guards referred to them only by these numbers)
-Guards had uniforms, reflective sunglasses, and a wooden club
Zimbardo's findings VERIFIED ANSWER Stopped after 6 days instead
of 14 days. After 2 days prisoners rebelled, gaurds supressed the
rebellion and treated prisoners harshly
