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Topic title: Social Influence

Year group: 12

When taught: Term 2

What are we learning?

  • Types of conformity: internalisation, identification and compliance.  Explanations for conformity: informational social influence and normative social influence, and variables affecting conformity including group size, unanimity and task difficulty as investigated by Asch.
  • Conformity to social roles as investigated by Zimbardo.
  • Explanations for obedience: agentic state and legitimacy of authority, and situational variables affecting obedience including proximity and location, as investigated by Milgram, and uniform. Dispositional explanation for obedience: the Authoritarian Personality.
  • Explanations of resistance to social influence, including social support and locus of control.
  • Minority influence including reference to consistency, commitment and flexibility.
  • The role of social influence processes in social change.

Why is this important to know? 

  • Much of psychology focuses on the individual, but it is important to also consider the influence that the people around us have on our behaviour.
  • Conformity and obedience can be strong social phenomena that can to both positive and destructive behaviours.

Where does this link into our past and future learning?

  • We consider the roles of conformity and obedience within the historical context of The Holocaust, as well as what enabled some people to resist social influence.
  • We consider these processes within social change e.g. votes for women.
  • It links to Social Learning Theory in the Approaches topic.

How will we be assessed on this topic?

  • Students will sit a formal exam on this topic in the summer. This section makes up 24 marks and 30 minutes of Paper 1 at AS and A Level. They will be asked questions varying in size from multiple choice up to 12 mark essays at AS and 16 mark essays at A Level.
  • There will also be mid topic and end of topic tests on the unit when we study it.
  • Students will also have recap tests / questioning / exam questions on this topic during most lessons.

What makes a strong piece of work in this topic?  What are teachers hoping to see?  

  • A detailed description of the content.
  • Sustained evaluation that is fully ‘PEEEL’ed.
  • Using specific research examples to support the points they are making.
  • Using correctly key terminology.

What key words are there in this topic?

Quizlet. Click here

What can I try if I want to stretch and challenge myself on this topic?

  • There is an extension challenge set for this unit. This consists of 4 interesting tasks such as videos to watch, podcasts to listen to, articles to read and online courses to complete with a feedback task at the end. Please see your subject teacher to access this sheet.

What wider reading can be done on this topic?

  • There are several Psychology Review Magazine articles relevant to this topic that you can read to extend your knowledge. Please speak to your subject teachers to access copies of these.
  • You could read some of the full text journal articles for the studies covered in this topic. E.g.
    • Asch
    • Milgram
    • Zimbardo