AQA AS PSYCHOLOGY 7181 1 PAPER 1
INTRODUCTORY TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
EXAM SCRIPT 2026 TESTED QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS ALREADY PASSED
◉ What are some strength's of Asch's original study. Answer: Lab
experiment - control of extraneous variables
Research support - Jenness bean study. Supports the participants
that conformed due to self doubt, and as a result were motivated to
conform by ISI
◉ Define social roles. Answer: expected patterns of behaviors for
specific statuses and positions
◉ Define dehumanisation. Answer: Removal of an individual's
identity
◉ Describe the procedure of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Study
(1971). 6 points.. Answer: Run in a basement at Stanford University
24 U.S male student volunteers
randomly assigned role of prisoner or guard
,prisoners unexpectedly arrested at home
deloused, given prison uniform and ID number
given some rights, eg 3 meals, 3 supervised toilet trips a day and 2
visits per week
guards were given uniforms, clubs, whistles and wore reflective
sunglasses
Zimbardo took role of prison superintendent
planned duration was 2 weeks
stopped after 6 days.
◉ Describe the control measures of Zimbardo's prison study..
Answer: Background tests - To ensure everyone was physically and
mentally stable, free from anti-social and criminal tendencies
Random assignment to roles
Guard sunglasses: To prevent eye contact.
,◉ What year did Zimbardo's prison study take place?. Answer: 1971
◉ What was the Aim of Zimbardo's prison study?. Answer: To
investigate the extent to which people simulate their social roles as a
guard and prisoner
And to investigate whether prison brutality was due to dispositional
or situational factors.
◉ Describe the findings of Zimbardo's study. Answer: Within hours,
everyone had conformed to their social roles. Guards had started
harassing the prisoners.
After 36 hours, participant was removed due to hysterics along with
symptoms of early depression.
Study was terminated after 6 days due to dehumanising torture the
guards put the prisoners through.
Zimbardo had also subconsciously conformed to his social role as a
prison warden.
, ◉ RAVES of Zimbardo's study.. Answer: R- Due to the controversial
and ethical issues, the study was only carried out once so the
findings may not be reliable.
A- Important contribution to psychology as it shows how clinically
normal people can be manipulated by societal social roles into
behaving in an abusive manner. (Helpful in the aspect of police
brutality or abuse of higher powers e.g. dictatorship)
V- Lacks ecological validity in that guards reported that they were
only acting thus displaying demand characteristics,
E- Participants were not protected from psychological harm, despite
the right to withdraw
S- Study lacks cultural relativism, lacks population validity with
gender bias.
◉ Define deindividuation. How does this relate to Zimbardo's
conclusion.. Answer: A state in which individuals have lower self
awareness and a weaker sense of personal responsibility for their
actions. This may result from the relative anonymity if being part of
a crowd. Such state is a result of the situational variable by which the
guards had acted by.
◉ What are the explanations for obedience. Answer: Agentic state
and legitimacy of authority, situational variables affecting
obedience(proximity, location and uniform), Dispositional
explanation for obedience: the Authoritarian Personality.
INTRODUCTORY TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
EXAM SCRIPT 2026 TESTED QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS ALREADY PASSED
◉ What are some strength's of Asch's original study. Answer: Lab
experiment - control of extraneous variables
Research support - Jenness bean study. Supports the participants
that conformed due to self doubt, and as a result were motivated to
conform by ISI
◉ Define social roles. Answer: expected patterns of behaviors for
specific statuses and positions
◉ Define dehumanisation. Answer: Removal of an individual's
identity
◉ Describe the procedure of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Study
(1971). 6 points.. Answer: Run in a basement at Stanford University
24 U.S male student volunteers
randomly assigned role of prisoner or guard
,prisoners unexpectedly arrested at home
deloused, given prison uniform and ID number
given some rights, eg 3 meals, 3 supervised toilet trips a day and 2
visits per week
guards were given uniforms, clubs, whistles and wore reflective
sunglasses
Zimbardo took role of prison superintendent
planned duration was 2 weeks
stopped after 6 days.
◉ Describe the control measures of Zimbardo's prison study..
Answer: Background tests - To ensure everyone was physically and
mentally stable, free from anti-social and criminal tendencies
Random assignment to roles
Guard sunglasses: To prevent eye contact.
,◉ What year did Zimbardo's prison study take place?. Answer: 1971
◉ What was the Aim of Zimbardo's prison study?. Answer: To
investigate the extent to which people simulate their social roles as a
guard and prisoner
And to investigate whether prison brutality was due to dispositional
or situational factors.
◉ Describe the findings of Zimbardo's study. Answer: Within hours,
everyone had conformed to their social roles. Guards had started
harassing the prisoners.
After 36 hours, participant was removed due to hysterics along with
symptoms of early depression.
Study was terminated after 6 days due to dehumanising torture the
guards put the prisoners through.
Zimbardo had also subconsciously conformed to his social role as a
prison warden.
, ◉ RAVES of Zimbardo's study.. Answer: R- Due to the controversial
and ethical issues, the study was only carried out once so the
findings may not be reliable.
A- Important contribution to psychology as it shows how clinically
normal people can be manipulated by societal social roles into
behaving in an abusive manner. (Helpful in the aspect of police
brutality or abuse of higher powers e.g. dictatorship)
V- Lacks ecological validity in that guards reported that they were
only acting thus displaying demand characteristics,
E- Participants were not protected from psychological harm, despite
the right to withdraw
S- Study lacks cultural relativism, lacks population validity with
gender bias.
◉ Define deindividuation. How does this relate to Zimbardo's
conclusion.. Answer: A state in which individuals have lower self
awareness and a weaker sense of personal responsibility for their
actions. This may result from the relative anonymity if being part of
a crowd. Such state is a result of the situational variable by which the
guards had acted by.
◉ What are the explanations for obedience. Answer: Agentic state
and legitimacy of authority, situational variables affecting
obedience(proximity, location and uniform), Dispositional
explanation for obedience: the Authoritarian Personality.
