OxfordAQA International A Level Psychology
OxfordAQA International A Level Psychology 3.1.2 Social Psychology Exam Questions
Free OxfordAQA International A Level Psychology revision for 3.1.2 Social Psychology: what you need to know, common mistakes and exam-style questions with answers. Covers types of conformity, normative and informational influence, asch's variables, obedience, agentic state, milgram's variables and resistance to social influence.
Practise 3.1.2 Social Psychology with past papers
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About OxfordAQA International A Level Psychology 3.1.2 Social Psychology
Social psychology is the second section of Unit 1 on the OxfordAQA International AS Psychology course. It focuses on social influence: why and how people conform, why people obey authority figures, and why some people resist. You need to know the types of conformity, normative and informational social influence, and the variables investigated by Asch. For obedience you study the agentic state and legitimacy of authority, and the situational variables investigated by Milgram, including proximity and location. You also learn how social support and locus of control help people resist. Examiners often ask you to apply these explanations to a scenario and to evaluate research on validity and ethics.
What you need to know
- Types of conformity Compliance is going along with the group publicly while privately disagreeing; it is temporary. Internalisation is accepting the group's views both publicly and privately; it is a permanent change.
- Explanations for conformity Normative social influence is conforming to be liked and accepted; it often leads to compliance. Informational social influence is conforming because we believe others are right, especially in ambiguous situations; it often leads to internalisation.
- Asch's research In Asch's line judgement task, participants conformed to a clearly wrong majority on about a third of critical trials, and 75% conformed at least once. Conformity rose with group size up to about three confederates, fell sharply when one confederate gave the correct answer (unanimity broken), and rose when the task was made more difficult.
- Explanations for obedience In the agentic state a person sees themselves as acting for an authority figure and so does not feel responsible. Legitimacy of authority means we obey people we see as having a right to give orders within a social hierarchy.
- Milgram's variables In Milgram's baseline study 65% of participants went to the maximum 450 V and all went to at least 300 V. Obedience fell when the learner was in the same room and further when the participant had to place the learner's hand on a plate (proximity), and fell when the study moved from Yale University to a run-down office (location).
- Resistance to social influence Social support, such as a dissenting peer, reduces the pressure to conform or obey. People with an internal locus of control (Rotter) believe they control their own behaviour and are more likely to resist than those with an external locus of control.
Common mistakes in 3.1.2 Social Psychology
- Mixing up compliance and internalisation. Compliance is public agreement only; internalisation is public and private agreement.
- Saying Asch found everyone conformed all the time. Around a quarter of participants never conformed, and conformity happened on about a third of critical trials.
- Describing Milgram's variables without the effect on the obedience rate. State that obedience fell as proximity increased or in a less prestigious location.
- Confusing the agentic state with legitimacy of authority. The agentic state is about the shift in responsibility; legitimacy is about why we accept someone's right to give orders.
- Evaluating with 'it was unethical' alone. Name the specific issue, such as deception or lack of protection from harm, and explain its effect on the conclusions.
Try three 3.1.2 Social Psychology exam-style questions
1. Explain the difference between normative and informational social influence. (4 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Normative influence is conforming in order to fit in and be accepted by the group, out of a desire to avoid rejection; it usually produces compliance; informational influence is conforming because the person believes the group is more likely to be right, often in uncertain situations; it usually produces internalisation.
2. Outline how proximity affected obedience in Milgram's research. (3 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
When teacher and learner were in the same room, obedience to 450 V fell below the baseline 65%; it fell further when the teacher had to force the learner's hand onto a shock plate; when instructions were given by telephone obedience also fell, showing that closeness of the authority figure increases obedience.
3. Discuss locus of control as an explanation of resistance to social influence. (8 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
A strong answer would describe Rotter's internal and external locus of control and explain why internals are more likely to resist, relying on their own judgement; then evaluate with research support, the possibility that locus of control has only a modest effect compared with situational factors, issues with self-report measures, and comparisons with social support as an explanation.
3.1.2 Social Psychology FAQs
What does OxfordAQA International A Level Psychology 3.1.2 Social Psychology cover?
It covers types of conformity, normative and informational influence, Asch's variables, explanations of obedience, Milgram's situational variables and resistance through social support and locus of control.
Which unit is 3.1.2 Social Psychology examined in?
It is examined in Unit 1 (PS01), Introductory topics in psychology, as one of three compulsory sections alongside the other Unit 1 topics.
How do I apply social influence explanations to a scenario?
Identify the behaviour in the scenario, name the explanation (for example normative influence or the agentic state) and quote or paraphrase the part of the scenario that shows it. Every point should link theory to the details given.
