Social influence — AQA A-Level Psychology Revision

    This topic explores the ways in which individuals are influenced by the presence and behaviour of others, covering conformity, obedience, resistance to soc

    Topic Synopsis

    This topic explores the ways in which individuals are influenced by the presence and behaviour of others, covering conformity, obedience, resistance to social influence, minority influence, and the role of social influence in social change.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Examiner Marking Points

    Social influence

    AQA
    A-Level

    This topic explores the ways in which individuals are influenced by the presence and behaviour of others, covering conformity, obedience, resistance to social influence, minority influence, and the role of social influence in social change.

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    Objectives
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    Exam Tips
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    Pitfalls
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    Key Terms
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    Mark Points

    Topic Overview

    Social influence explores how individuals and groups shape each other's behaviour, attitudes, and beliefs. In AQA A-Level Psychology, this topic covers conformity, obedience, and minority influence, drawing on classic studies like Asch (1951), Milgram (1963), and Moscovici (1969). You'll examine why people conform to group norms, obey authority figures, and how social change occurs. Understanding these processes is crucial for explaining real-world phenomena such as peer pressure, political movements, and even atrocities like the Holocaust.

    This topic is central to the 'Social Psychology' section of the AQA specification and appears in both Paper 1 (AS) and Paper 3 (A-Level). It connects to other areas like memory (e.g., schema theory in social contexts) and psychopathology (e.g., how social influence affects mental health). Mastering social influence not only boosts exam performance but also helps you critically evaluate media, advertising, and group dynamics in everyday life.

    You'll need to memorise key studies, evaluate their methodologies (e.g., lab vs. field experiments, ethical issues), and apply theories to novel scenarios. The AQA exam often asks for 'outline and evaluate' questions, so be prepared to discuss strengths and limitations of each explanation. Real-world applications include understanding why people follow COVID-19 guidelines or how social media influencers shape opinions.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Conformity: Changing behaviour/attitudes to match a group norm. Types include compliance (public but not private), identification (public and private while with group), and internalisation (deep acceptance).
    • →Obedience: Following orders from an authority figure. Milgram's study showed 65% delivered maximum shocks; key factors include proximity, legitimacy of authority, and agentic state.
    • →Minority Influence: A minority can change majority views through consistency, commitment, and flexibility (Moscovici's blue-green slide study).
    • →Social Change: How minority influence leads to wider social change (e.g., civil rights movements). Key processes: drawing attention, consistency, deeper processing, augmentation principle, snowball effect, social cryptoamnesia.
    • →Situational vs. Dispositional Explanations: Situational factors (e.g., uniform, location) vs. personality traits (e.g., authoritarian personality) explain obedience and conformity.

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Types of conformity: internalisation, identification and compliance
    • Explanations for conformity: informational social influence and normative social influence
    • Variables affecting conformity: group size, unanimity and task difficulty (Asch)
    • Conformity to social roles (Zimbardo)
    • Explanations for obedience: agentic state and legitimacy of authority
    • Situational variables affecting obedience: proximity, location and uniform (Milgram)
    • Dispositional explanation for obedience: the Authoritarian Personality
    • Explanations of resistance to social influence: social support and locus of control

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Types of conformity: internalisation, identification and compliance
    • Explanations for conformity: informational social influence and normative social influence
    • Variables affecting conformity: group size, unanimity and task difficulty (Asch)
    • Conformity to social roles (Zimbardo)
    • Explanations for obedience: agentic state and legitimacy of authority
    • Situational variables affecting obedience: proximity, location and uniform (Milgram)
    • Dispositional explanation for obedience: the Authoritarian Personality
    • Explanations of resistance to social influence: social support and locus of control
    • Minority influence: consistency, commitment and flexibility
    • The role of social influence processes in social change

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡Use specific details from studies: e.g., Asch's line length (7.5cm vs. 10cm), Milgram's shock levels (15V to 450V), Moscovici's 2% vs. 8% consistent condition. This shows depth.
    • 💡Always evaluate: For each theory/study, discuss strengths (e.g., research support, real-world application) and limitations (e.g., ethical issues, lack of ecological validity). Use PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link) paragraphs.
    • 💡Apply to novel scenarios: Practice explaining how social influence concepts apply to new situations, like why people follow influencers or how a charity campaign might change behaviour. This is common in 16-mark questions.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Misconception: Conformity always means going along with the group publicly and privately. Correction: Asch found that many participants conformed publicly but privately disagreed (compliance). Internalisation is rarer.
    • Misconception: Milgram's study proves people are inherently evil. Correction: Milgram argued that situational factors (e.g., gradual commitment, authority pressure) cause obedience, not inherent evil. Many participants showed distress.
    • Misconception: Minority influence is weak and rare. Correction: Moscovici showed that a consistent minority can influence majority views, especially if they appear flexible. Real-world examples include suffragettes and climate activists.

    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., lab experiments, independent groups design, ethical guidelines) to evaluate studies.
    • •Familiarity with types of data (quantitative/qualitative) and validity/reliability concepts.
    • •Knowledge of social psychology basics from GCSE or earlier studies, such as group dynamics and stereotypes.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Outline
    Explain
    Discuss
    Evaluate
    Apply

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