Social Influence — A-Level Psychology Revision
Revise Social Influence for A-Level Psychology. Step-by-step explanation, worked examples, common mistakes and exam-style practice aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR.
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- Social Influence in A-Level Psychology: explanation, examples, and practice links on this page.
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Go to MemoryWhat is Social Influence?
Social influence refers to the ways in which individuals change their behavior to meet the demands of a social environment, including concepts like conformity, obedience, and minority influence. A-Level students must understand theories such as Asch's conformity experiments and Milgram's studies on obedience, which highlight the impact of social pressure and authority figures.
Board notes: This topic is covered by AQA, Edexcel, and OCR. Each board may emphasize different studies or evaluation points, so students should refer to their specific exam board's specification for detailed guidance.
Step-by-step explanationWorked example
When asked to explain the factors affecting conformity, structure your answer by first defining conformity, then discuss Asch's study, including variables like group size and unanimity. Conclude with an evaluation of the study's ecological validity and ethical considerations.
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Common mistakes
- 1Confusing the concepts of conformity and obedience as being the same when they involve different social dynamics.
- 2Failing to accurately describe key studies, such as not detailing the procedure or findings of Asch's line experiment.
- 3Neglecting to evaluate studies for methodological issues, such as the ethical considerations in Milgram's research.
Social Influence exam questions
Exam-style questions for Social Influence with mark-scheme style solutions and timing practice. Aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications.
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Step-by-step method
Step-by-step explanation
4 steps · Worked method for Social Influence
Core concept
Social influence refers to the ways in which individuals change their behavior to meet the demands of a social environment, including concepts like conformity, obedience, and minority influence. A-Lev…
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between compliance and internalisation?
Compliance involves outwardly going along with the group while privately disagreeing, whereas internalisation involves adopting the group's beliefs both publicly and privately.
How did Milgram's experiment demonstrate obedience?
Milgram's experiment showed that individuals are likely to follow authority figures' instructions even when they involve harming another person, revealing the power of authority in social influence.