Student responses with examiner commentary (based on SAM1) A-level Psychology 7182/1 Introductory Topics in Psychology

2 of 21 AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number ) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number ). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX. QUESTION 02 Briefly outline and evaluate the findings of any one study of social influence. [4 marks] MARK SCHEME Marks for this question: AO1 = 2 and AO3 = 2 Level Marks Description 2 3–4 Findings are clear and accurate. Evaluation/analysis is clear and coherent. 1 1–2 Findings are clear but there is no evaluation, or, findings and evaluation are both incomplete/partly accurate. For 1 mark there is some detail of findings but no evaluation. 0 No relevant content. AO1 Content Outline of findings of any study of social influence, eg Asch, Milgram, Zimbardo but any study of social influence is acceptable. Accept detail of variations as well as original findings. AO3 Content Evaluation of findings, eg analysis of implication of findings; methodological issues such as validity. Exemplar Response Asch found in his simple perception task judging the length of lines in relation to a comparison line that on the 12 critical trials 37% of the responses made by the naïve participants were incorrect in line with the confederate’s responses. He found that 75% conformed at least once to an incorrect response and that they conformed on every one of the critical trials. This was compared to 0.7% error rate in the control group who completed the task alone. However, as the findings from this study are laboratory based involving a task lacking in mundane realism eg judging the length of lines, they may have little or no relevance to real life conformity and are therefore looking in ecological validity. Examiner commentary This is a Level 2 response. The findings from the Asch study are detailed (note that the information: ‘37% were incorrect in line with the confederate’s responses’ is not technically correct as participants sometimes gave incorrect responses from those of the majority and if these non-conforming responses are deducted, the percent of conforming responses = 33%). However, 37% is the figure in a lot of the student textbooks and the 75% conforming at least once is correct. The methodological issue concerning ecological validity