Social Influence

1. Social Influence Class Test Feedback (out of 24 marks)

2. Question 1 It is Ani’s first day in a new job and he spends a lot of time watching to see what his colleagues are doing, so that he will fit in with them and be liked. Explain Ani’s behaviour in terms of compliance. (2 marks) Can you apply your knowledge of compliance to an unfamiliar situation? (A02 application) 1 mark = brief outline explaining compliance. 1 mark = further elaboration and link back to question!

3. Question 1Exemplar answer Compliance refers to behaviour that involves going along with the majority, even if privately their views are not accepted (public compliance but not private acceptance). Ani wants to fit in and be liked, so he will change his behaviour to be like the others at work but he does not change his private beliefs.

4. Question 2 Q2 (a). Explain what is meant by informational social influence. (3 marks) Q2 (b). Explain what is meant by normative social influence. (3 marks) A01 application (explain the terms) 1 mark = basic statement. 2 marks = further elaboration.

5. Question 2aExemplar answer Q2 (a). Explain what is meant by informational social influence. (3 marks) Informational social influence is where someone conforms because they do not know what to do, but they want to be correct. They follow the majority because they assume that the majority know what is the right thing to do. This type of social influence tends to involve internalisation. This involves both public and private attitude change.

6. Question 2bExemplar answer Q2 (b). Explain what is meant by normative social influence. (3 marks) Normative social influence is where someone conforms because they want to be liked and accepted by the group. The person may publicly change their behaviour/views but privately disagree. This type of social influence is also known as compliance (public compliance but no private attitude change).

7. Question 3 Q3 (a). Explain why it is sometimes necessary to deceive participants in social influence research. (2 marks) Q3 (b). Describe one way in which deception has been dealt with in social influence research. (2 marks) A03 – knowledge and understanding of research methods applied to social influence. 1 mark = brief answer. 1 mark = further elaboration.

8. Question 3aExemplar answer Q3 (a). Explain why it is sometimes necessary to deceive participants in social influence research. (2 marks) Deception is necessary because if participants knew the aim of they study they might change their behaviour. This might effect the validity of the findings as the behaviour displayed may not be a true reflection.

9. Question 3bExemplar answer Q3 (b). Describe one way in which deception has been dealt with in social influence research. (2 marks) • Debriefing • Presumptive consent • Prior general consent • Retrospective consent 1 mark for identifying a way to deal with deception 1 mark for further elaboration (can refer to a specific study e.g. Milgram).

10. Question 3bExemplar answers Q3 (b). Describe one way in which deception has been dealt with in social influence research. (2 marks) One way of dealing with deception is to gain presumptive consent by asking people similar to the participant if they think it is OK to do the experiment. Milgram dealt with deception by briefing his participants; he told them the true aim of the study, reassured them that they were normal and had caused no harm to another human being, and answered all their questions.

11. Question 4 Q4. Outline and evaluate research into obedience to authority. (12 marks) A01 – 6 marks – description A02 – 6 marks - evaluation

12. Question 4Exemplar answer – key points to consider A01 • Milgram’s original study (1963) • Situational factors • Hofling et al (1966) A02 • Methodological issues – sample, laboratory experiment • Ethical issues • Realism, validity and generalisability • Hofling et al (1966) • Rank and Jacobsen (1975) • Mandel’s (1998) obedience alibi