AQA A Level Psychology – Social Influence, Conformity,
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and Obedience (Exam Questions with Answers)
Description:
This study document focuses on the social influence unit of AQA A Level Psychology.
It provides verified exam questions and answers on conformity, obedience, and
social roles, including studies by Asch, Zimbardo, and Milgram. Students will find
clear definitions, explanations of key theories, and evaluation points to strengthen
exam performance. It is an updated and comprehensive revision guide for this
topic.
State the definition of conformity - answer✔✔An individual is said to be
conforming if they choose a course of action that is favoured by the majority of the
group members. State and explain the three types of conformity -
answer✔✔Compliance - Individuals follow what the group is doing in order to be
accepted or to fit in, even if there personal views may differ to the one they are
portraying. This will not chance their underlying attitude towards something. (Asch)
Internalisation - This involves both public and private attitudes and is where the
individual may believe that the groups view, after close inspection, is correct and
, theirs is wrong. This leads them to changing their public and private view towards
something in order to be correct. This is the deepest level of conformity and
becomes a permanent attitude. (Sherif's Autokinetic) Identification - The individuals
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attitudes both private and publicly will change but in this case only for a temporary
amount of time and also is in order to fit in and be liked, essentially it is a mix of
compliance and internalisation. (Zimbardo) There are two explanations for
conformity, outline and explain them - answer✔✔Normative Social Influence -
This is where people go along with a majority in order to feel that they fit in and not
be ridiculed for having a different opinion to everyone else. Informational Social
Influence - Occurs when an individual accepts information from the majority as they
see them as experts or someone with more understanding of a particular subject.
This is done in order to be correct. Outline and evaluate a study into informational
social influence - answer✔✔Jenness setup an ambiguous situation where
participants were asked individually to estimate how many beans were in a glass
bottle they were shown. This was recorded and participants were then put in a room
with a group of people and asked as a group to come to an estimate. Again they
were asked individually if they would like to change their original estimate, and
nearly all of them decided they would like to change. This shows that most of them
went through informational social influence where they conformed with a group in
order to be correct. :) - Unlike other research into conformity there is no deceiving so
it is ethically sound :( - Doesn't give us any insight into non ambiguous situations
where conformity occurs Outline and evaluate a study into Normative social
Page | 1
and Obedience (Exam Questions with Answers)
Description:
This study document focuses on the social influence unit of AQA A Level Psychology.
It provides verified exam questions and answers on conformity, obedience, and
social roles, including studies by Asch, Zimbardo, and Milgram. Students will find
clear definitions, explanations of key theories, and evaluation points to strengthen
exam performance. It is an updated and comprehensive revision guide for this
topic.
State the definition of conformity - answer✔✔An individual is said to be
conforming if they choose a course of action that is favoured by the majority of the
group members. State and explain the three types of conformity -
answer✔✔Compliance - Individuals follow what the group is doing in order to be
accepted or to fit in, even if there personal views may differ to the one they are
portraying. This will not chance their underlying attitude towards something. (Asch)
Internalisation - This involves both public and private attitudes and is where the
individual may believe that the groups view, after close inspection, is correct and
, theirs is wrong. This leads them to changing their public and private view towards
something in order to be correct. This is the deepest level of conformity and
becomes a permanent attitude. (Sherif's Autokinetic) Identification - The individuals
Page | 2
attitudes both private and publicly will change but in this case only for a temporary
amount of time and also is in order to fit in and be liked, essentially it is a mix of
compliance and internalisation. (Zimbardo) There are two explanations for
conformity, outline and explain them - answer✔✔Normative Social Influence -
This is where people go along with a majority in order to feel that they fit in and not
be ridiculed for having a different opinion to everyone else. Informational Social
Influence - Occurs when an individual accepts information from the majority as they
see them as experts or someone with more understanding of a particular subject.
This is done in order to be correct. Outline and evaluate a study into informational
social influence - answer✔✔Jenness setup an ambiguous situation where
participants were asked individually to estimate how many beans were in a glass
bottle they were shown. This was recorded and participants were then put in a room
with a group of people and asked as a group to come to an estimate. Again they
were asked individually if they would like to change their original estimate, and
nearly all of them decided they would like to change. This shows that most of them
went through informational social influence where they conformed with a group in
order to be correct. :) - Unlike other research into conformity there is no deceiving so
it is ethically sound :( - Doesn't give us any insight into non ambiguous situations
where conformity occurs Outline and evaluate a study into Normative social
