1. Social Influence
Lesson 6

2. 3. The following statements are all related to conformity.
1. It is Ani’s first day in a new job and he spends a lot of time watching to see what his colleagues are doing, so that he will fit in with them and be liked. Explain Ani’s behaviour in terms of compliance. (2 marks)
2. Outline one method that psychologists have used to study conformity. (2 marks)
3. The following statements are all related to conformity.
A Doing what the group does in order to be liked by them.
B Doing what the group does because we do not know what else to do.
C Going along with the group, even if we do not really agree with what they are doing.
D Going along with the group because we accept their beliefs and attitudes into our own cognitions.
Copy and complete the table below, write which statement, A, B, C or D, describes each type of conformity. (2 marks)
4. When we are in a large group of friends, it is very easy to agree with them and simply go along with their views. However, sometimes we are able to resist the pressure to conform. Using what you have learned from studying conformity, outline one reason why we might resist the pressure to conform. (2 marks)
5. Identify the type of social influence illustrated in the situation described below. Refer to features of the situation to justify your answer. (3 marks)
Bryher has been invited out on a date by her new boyfriend who has taken her to a fashionable restaurant. Bryher is keen to make a good impression and not embarrass herself in any way. However, she has never been to a restaurant before and is alarmed at the vast array of cutlery and crockery placed before her. Bryher decides to observe other diners’ behaviour before selecting which utensils to eat her food with.
Type of Conformity
Statement
Internalisation
Compliance

3. Milgram (1963)

4. Video Let’s see Milgram’s work in action
This video is a recent attempt to recreate Milgram’s results

5. Practice Question...to get you thinking
Some psychologists criticise Milgram’s research into obedience to authority, in terms of both methodological issues and ethical issues.
Explain two criticisms of Milgram’s research.
Criticism one...
Criticism two...
(6 marks)

6. Mark Scheme
AO3 = 6 marks
Students may refer to one methodological and one ethical issue, or two ethical or two methodological issues.
There are a range of ethical issues that can be considered during the experiment.
Protection from harm – participants were clearly distressed.
While participants were in fact given the right to withdraw initially it was made very difficult for them to do so during the experiment. Students can only gain credit for right to withdraw if this is explained.
Deception – participants were deceived at several stages of the study
Informed consent – because of deception, participants were unable to give their full informed consent.
One mark for identification of the issue and a further 2 marks for elaboration.
The methodological issues can relate to the fact that this was an experiment, so it could be said to lack external validity as well as internal validity. In Milgram’s early versions he only used male participants, thus population validity is an issue. Any relevant methodological issue can be credited.

7. Variations of Milgram 100% 50% 0%
Milgram carried out many variations of his study to see how the results changed
You will be given a selection of six variations, first you must estimate the percentage of people that conformed and lay them on the ‘obedience barometer’ – be prepared to say why you think what you think!
Then use the textbook (page 169) to stick the variations in the correct place and make notes about what Milgram found.
100%
50% 0%
Percentage (%) of Milgram’s participants administering maximum shock (450 volts)

8. Practice Question
The following results are percentages of participants who gave the maximum shock, in variations of Milgram’s experiment into obedience to authority. What do these results suggest about the power of the confederates in variations of Milgram’s study? (4 marks)

9. Mark Scheme
The data suggest that the confederates have a considerable influence on whether or not the participant obeys; candidates could consider the implications of the difference between 92.5% and 10%. They might consider whether the confederates are acting as role models, informing the participant how to behave. Credit could also include comparison of power of confederates with power of having the experimenter in the same room.
The question is not just asking candidates to describe the data in the table, but to consider the effect that the confederates have, to access the top bands answers need to be shaped to fit the question.