Social Influence — OCR GCSE Psychology Revision

    The Memory topic covers the stages of information processing, types of forgetting, the biological basis of memory including the role of specific brain stru

    Topic Synopsis

    The Memory topic covers the stages of information processing, types of forgetting, the biological basis of memory including the role of specific brain structures, and two key theoretical models: the Multi-store Model and the Theory of Reconstructive Memory. It also explores practical applications in advertising and neuropsychological measurement.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Examiner Marking Points

    Social Influence

    OCR
    GCSE

    The Memory topic covers the stages of information processing, types of forgetting, the biological basis of memory including the role of specific brain structures, and two key theoretical models: the Multi-store Model and the Theory of Reconstructive Memory. It also explores practical applications in advertising and neuropsychological measurement.

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    Objectives
    3
    Exam Tips
    0
    Pitfalls
    0
    Key Terms
    8
    Mark Points

    Topic Overview

    Social influence explores how the presence and actions of others shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. In OCR GCSE Psychology, this topic covers key concepts such as conformity, obedience, and minority influence, drawing on classic studies like Asch's line judgment experiments, Milgram's obedience studies, and Moscovici's research on minority influence. Understanding social influence helps explain real-world phenomena like peer pressure, authority compliance, and social change, making it essential for grasping how individuals function within groups and society.

    This topic is central to the 'Social Psychology' component of the OCR GCSE specification. It examines why people conform to group norms (normative and informational social influence), obey authority figures (agentic state, legitimacy of authority), and how minorities can bring about social change (consistency, commitment, flexibility). Students will also evaluate research methods used in social influence studies, considering ethical issues and validity. Mastering social influence not only prepares you for exam questions but also develops critical thinking about everyday social interactions and media influence.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Conformity: Changing behaviour or beliefs to match a group, driven by normative (desire to fit in) or informational (desire to be correct) social influence.
    • →Obedience: Following orders from an authority figure, explained by factors like legitimacy of authority, agentic state, and proximity.
    • →Minority Influence: When a small group changes the majority's views, requiring consistency, commitment, and flexibility (e.g., Moscovici's blue-green slide study).
    • →Social Impact Theory: Latane's theory that the impact of a social source depends on strength, immediacy, and number of sources.

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Stages of information processing: input, encoding, storage, retrieval, and output
    • Types of forgetting: decay, displacement, and retrieval failure (lack of cues)
    • Structure and functions of the brain in memory formation
    • Impact of neurological damage on memory (hippocampus, frontal lobe, cerebellum)
    • Multi-store Model of memory structure and process
    • Theory of Reconstructive Memory structure and process
    • Application of memory techniques in advertising (cues, repetition, avoiding overload, autobiographical advertising)
    • Use of neuropsychological tests like the Wechsler Memory Scale

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Stages of information processing: input, encoding, storage, retrieval, and output
    • Types of forgetting: decay, displacement, and retrieval failure (lack of cues)
    • Structure and functions of the brain in memory formation
    • Impact of neurological damage on memory (hippocampus, frontal lobe, cerebellum)
    • Multi-store Model of memory structure and process
    • Theory of Reconstructive Memory structure and process
    • Application of memory techniques in advertising (cues, repetition, avoiding overload, autobiographical advertising)
    • Use of neuropsychological tests like the Wechsler Memory Scale

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Ensure you can 'tell the story' of the two core studies (Wilson et al. and Braun et al.) including background, method, design, sample, materials, procedure, results, conclusions, and criticisms.
    • 💡Be prepared to link memory theory to the brain and neuropsychology, as this is an embedded theme.
    • 💡Understand how to apply memory concepts to real-world scenarios like advertising.
    • 💡When evaluating studies, always discuss both strengths and limitations, including ethical issues, validity, and cultural bias. For example, Asch's study lacks ecological validity but has high control.
    • 💡Use key terminology precisely: distinguish between 'conformity' and 'obedience', and explain the difference between normative and informational social influence with examples.
    • 💡For higher marks, link studies to real-world applications, such as how understanding obedience can improve jury decision-making or how minority influence drives social change.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Misconception: Conformity always involves public agreement with private disagreement. Correction: Conformity can also lead to private acceptance (internalisation), where individuals genuinely change their beliefs.
    • Misconception: Milgram's study proves people are naturally evil. Correction: Milgram's findings show that situational factors (e.g., authority, proximity) powerfully influence obedience, not inherent evil.
    • Misconception: Minority influence is weak and rare. Correction: Minority influence can be powerful and lead to lasting social change, as seen in civil rights movements and environmental campaigns.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Basic understanding of research methods (e.g., experiments, sampling, ethics) to evaluate studies like Asch and Milgram.
    • •Familiarity with key psychological perspectives (e.g., behaviourist, cognitive) to compare explanations of social influence.

    Study Guide Available

    Comprehensive revision notes & examples

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    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

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