AQA Psychology Social Influence
Exam | Questions And Answers |
Latest Exam 2026-2027 |Graded A+
What is conformity? -ANSWER Yielding to group pressure
What is conformity also known as? -ANSWER Majority Influence
When does Conformity occur? -ANSWER An individuals behaviour and/or beliefs are
influenced by a larger group of people.
Who made reference to three types of conformity? -ANSWER Kelman
What is the weakest form of conformity? -ANSWER Complaince
What is Complaince? -ANSWER An individual maintains their private views but goes
along with the majority publicly in order to gain approval
What is Identification? -ANSWER Public and Private acceptance of majority influence in
order to gain acceptance
What is Internalisation also known as? -ANSWER True Conformmity
What is Internalisation? -ANSWER Individuals genuiely adjust their behaviour and
opinions of the group
How can Internalisation also occur? -ANSWER Occurs through minority influence
What is Informational Social Influnce? (ISI) -ANSWER A motivational force to look to
others for guidance in order to be correct
(Desire to be right)
what situation does ISI usually occur? -ANSWER Occurs in unfamiliar/ambiguous
situations
What research supports ISI? -ANSWER Jenness and Sherif
What was the aim of Jenness' study? -ANSWER Investigate people's judgements of
jellybeans in a jar was influenced by a group discussion
What was tthe procedure for Jenness' Study? -ANSWER -Individual (private) estimates of
jelly beans in a jar
-ANSWER was discussed in a large/small group(s)
, -Group estimates created
-Participants then made second private estimates
What were the results of jenness' Study? -ANSWER Second estimate tended to be closer
to the group estimate
It showed that more people are more liekly to conform in an ambigous situatuon
What are the Positive Evaluation points of Jenness' study? -ANSWER Lab experiment-
High Controls
Standardised procedure- Replicable
Quick and cheap research
What were the Negative Evaluation points of Jenness' study? -ANSWER Lab
Experiment- Lacks EV (Can't be generalised)
Ethics- Deception
(Counter arguement- less deception than other studies- Practical and ehtically sound)
What is Normative Social Influnce? -ANSWER A motivational force to be liked and
accepted by the group
(Desire to be liked)
Why do we have Normative Social Influcence? -ANSWER Wanting others to respect
them and not reject/ ridicule them
What research shows NSI? -ANSWER Asch
What are the Positive evaluation point of the explanations of conformity? -ANSWER -
Research support for both ISI and NSI
What are the negative evaluation points for the explanations of conformity? -ANSWER -
Oversimplified- both process could be involved
-Individual Differences
-People who aren't bothered about being liked will be effected differences
What was the aim of Asch's Study? -ANSWER The degree to which individuals would
conform to the majority who gave obviously wrong ANSWERs
What was Asch's Sample? -ANSWER 123 American Male Student Volunteers
What is an issue with Asch's sample? -ANSWER -Small sample
-Ethnocentric
-Androcentric
-Volunteers are different- they were told it was a visual perception test
What was the procedure for Asch's Study? -ANSWER - 1 naive pp in a group of 7-9
Exam | Questions And Answers |
Latest Exam 2026-2027 |Graded A+
What is conformity? -ANSWER Yielding to group pressure
What is conformity also known as? -ANSWER Majority Influence
When does Conformity occur? -ANSWER An individuals behaviour and/or beliefs are
influenced by a larger group of people.
Who made reference to three types of conformity? -ANSWER Kelman
What is the weakest form of conformity? -ANSWER Complaince
What is Complaince? -ANSWER An individual maintains their private views but goes
along with the majority publicly in order to gain approval
What is Identification? -ANSWER Public and Private acceptance of majority influence in
order to gain acceptance
What is Internalisation also known as? -ANSWER True Conformmity
What is Internalisation? -ANSWER Individuals genuiely adjust their behaviour and
opinions of the group
How can Internalisation also occur? -ANSWER Occurs through minority influence
What is Informational Social Influnce? (ISI) -ANSWER A motivational force to look to
others for guidance in order to be correct
(Desire to be right)
what situation does ISI usually occur? -ANSWER Occurs in unfamiliar/ambiguous
situations
What research supports ISI? -ANSWER Jenness and Sherif
What was the aim of Jenness' study? -ANSWER Investigate people's judgements of
jellybeans in a jar was influenced by a group discussion
What was tthe procedure for Jenness' Study? -ANSWER -Individual (private) estimates of
jelly beans in a jar
-ANSWER was discussed in a large/small group(s)
, -Group estimates created
-Participants then made second private estimates
What were the results of jenness' Study? -ANSWER Second estimate tended to be closer
to the group estimate
It showed that more people are more liekly to conform in an ambigous situatuon
What are the Positive Evaluation points of Jenness' study? -ANSWER Lab experiment-
High Controls
Standardised procedure- Replicable
Quick and cheap research
What were the Negative Evaluation points of Jenness' study? -ANSWER Lab
Experiment- Lacks EV (Can't be generalised)
Ethics- Deception
(Counter arguement- less deception than other studies- Practical and ehtically sound)
What is Normative Social Influnce? -ANSWER A motivational force to be liked and
accepted by the group
(Desire to be liked)
Why do we have Normative Social Influcence? -ANSWER Wanting others to respect
them and not reject/ ridicule them
What research shows NSI? -ANSWER Asch
What are the Positive evaluation point of the explanations of conformity? -ANSWER -
Research support for both ISI and NSI
What are the negative evaluation points for the explanations of conformity? -ANSWER -
Oversimplified- both process could be involved
-Individual Differences
-People who aren't bothered about being liked will be effected differences
What was the aim of Asch's Study? -ANSWER The degree to which individuals would
conform to the majority who gave obviously wrong ANSWERs
What was Asch's Sample? -ANSWER 123 American Male Student Volunteers
What is an issue with Asch's sample? -ANSWER -Small sample
-Ethnocentric
-Androcentric
-Volunteers are different- they were told it was a visual perception test
What was the procedure for Asch's Study? -ANSWER - 1 naive pp in a group of 7-9
