Understanding human behaviour isn't just about individual psychology - it's... Show more
Key Social Terms for Exam Success

The Social Approach: Key Assumptions and Conformity
The social approach is built on two fundamental ideas that explain why we act differently around others. First, behaviour occurs in a social context - meaning the people around you directly influence how you think and act. Second, wider culture and society shape individual behaviour in ways you might not even realise.
Conformity is basically changing your behaviour, attitudes, or beliefs to fit in with a group. It happens through two main types of social influence: normative social influence (conforming to be accepted and belong) and informational social influence (looking to others for guidance about what's correct or appropriate).
There are three levels of conformity that show how deeply social pressure affects us. Compliance is the most basic - you go along publicly but don't actually change your private beliefs. Identification means temporarily adopting a group's behaviours to be a member. Internalisation is the deepest level, where you permanently change your beliefs and attitudes to align with the group.
Quick Tip: Remember conformity levels by thinking C-I-I: Compliance (surface), Identification (temporary), Internalisation (permanent).

Social Groups and Personal Identity
Social psychology divides people into in-groups (people from your social group) and out-groups (people from different social groups). This social categorisation process leads to stereotypes - oversimplified beliefs about particular groups of people that can fuel prejudice and discrimination.
Group dynamics and group cohesion explain what keeps social groups connected and functioning. Groups work effectively when members have defined roles, share common goals, and maintain strong bonds. However, highly cohesive groups can fall into groupthink - prioritising agreement over critical thinking, which often leads to poor decisions.
Social facilitation shows how being around others can actually improve your performance on tasks you're already good at. This connects to how social situations affect your sense of self, including self-concept (how you see yourself overall), self-esteem (how much you value yourself), and self-efficacy (your belief in your ability to succeed at specific tasks).
Remember: Your performance can actually improve in front of others - but only for tasks you've already mastered!
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
Similar content
Most popular content in Psychology
9Social Influence Overview
Explore key concepts in social influence, including conformity, obedience, and minority influence. This comprehensive summary covers essential studies such as Milgram's experiment, Asch's conformity tests, and the Stanford prison experiment, providing insights into the psychological mechanisms behind social behavior. Ideal for A-Level revision.
Comprehensive Research Methods
Explore essential research methods in psychology, including experimental designs, types of experiments, observations, interviews, and ethical considerations. This summary covers key concepts such as independent and dependent variables, validity, reliability, and statistical significance, tailored for A Level AQA Psychology students.
AQA A Level Sociology Research Methods
Includes all research methods
Attachment Theory Overview
Explore key concepts of attachment theory, including Bowlby's Theory, the Strange Situation, and the role of fathers in attachment. This comprehensive summary covers maternal deprivation, secure and insecure attachments, and insights from animal studies. Ideal for AQA A-Level Psychology students seeking to understand childhood attachment dynamics.
Biopsychology Key Concepts
Explore essential biopsychology concepts including circadian rhythms, brain structure, and neurobiology. This comprehensive summary covers the nervous system, hormonal coordination, and the impact of brain plasticity on behavior. Ideal for AQA A Level Psychology revision.
Paper 2 - Approaches in Psychology ღ
ღ AQA A Level Psychology notes. ღ Covers AO1 + AO3 of: Origins of Psychology, Behaviourist Approach, Social Learning Theory, Cognitive Approach, Biological Approach, Humanistic Approach and Psychodynamic Approach ღ Any Qs, comment!! <3
Attachment- essay plans
All the content needed to answer 16 markers in psych- attachment
A Level AQA Biopsychology Content Mindmap
Biopsychology Content Mind Maps, DOES NOT CONTAIN RESEARCH OR EVALUATION
Attachment AQA
Attachment AQA Alevel Psychology paper one notes
Most popular content
9Sociology of Education Overview
Explore comprehensive A-Level Sociology notes on the education system, covering key theories, policies, and sociological perspectives. This resource includes insights on marketisation, gender roles, cultural deprivation, and educational inequalities, providing a thorough understanding of how education shapes social stratification and individual achievement. Ideal for exam preparation and in-depth study.
Sociology of Families: Comprehensive Revision
Dive into an extensive overview of family dynamics, perspectives, and patterns in sociology. This resource covers key concepts such as family diversity, gender roles, marriage, and the impact of social policies on family structures. Perfect for A-Level Sociology students preparing for Paper 2.
An Inspector Calls: Character Insights
Explore in-depth analysis and key quotes for characters in J.B. Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls'. This resource covers Gerald Croft, Inspector Goole, Sheila Birling, Mrs. Birling, Eric Birling, and Eva Smith, focusing on themes of class, gender roles, and social responsibility. Ideal for students aiming for Grade 8 and above.
Criminology: Crime & Punishment Overview
Comprehensive mindmaps covering key concepts in the Crime and Punishment topic for WJEC Criminology Unit 4. This resource includes detailed insights into the Criminal Justice System, crime prevention strategies, sentencing models, and the roles of various agencies. Ideal for A-Level revision, ensuring you grasp essential theories and legislative processes to excel in your exams.
WJEC Unit 4 Criminology
Criminology unit 4 detailed revision note
Criminology Theories Overview
Explore key criminology theories and their implications on crime and deviance. This comprehensive summary covers biological, psychological, and sociological perspectives, including labelling theory, right realism, and the impact of social campaigns on policy development. Ideal for A-Level criminology students seeking to understand the complexities of criminal behaviour and the factors influencing crime prevention strategies.
Romeo and Juliet: Key themes
Key Romeo and Juliet themes and analysed quotes
Macbeth: Guilt and Ambition
Explore the complex themes of guilt and ambition in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'. This analysis covers key characters, including Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, their moral dilemmas, and the tragic consequences of their ambition. Ideal for students studying character motivations, thematic elements, and the psychological impact of power. Includes insights on the natural order, manipulation, and the descent into madness.
AQA Biology: Key Concepts
Explore essential AQA Biology topics including Photosynthesis, Respiration, Homeostasis, Genetics, and Ecology. This comprehensive knowledge organizer covers key concepts such as energy transfer, hormonal control, and genetic variation, providing a solid foundation for your studies. Ideal for exam preparation and understanding biological processes.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Key Social Terms for Exam Success
Understanding human behaviour isn't just about individual psychology - it's heavily shaped by the people around us and the society we live in. The social approach in psychology explores how our thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by social contexts,... Show more

Sign up to see the content. It's free!
- Access to all documents
- Improve your grades
- Join milions of students
The Social Approach: Key Assumptions and Conformity
The social approach is built on two fundamental ideas that explain why we act differently around others. First, behaviour occurs in a social context - meaning the people around you directly influence how you think and act. Second, wider culture and society shape individual behaviour in ways you might not even realise.
Conformity is basically changing your behaviour, attitudes, or beliefs to fit in with a group. It happens through two main types of social influence: normative social influence (conforming to be accepted and belong) and informational social influence (looking to others for guidance about what's correct or appropriate).
There are three levels of conformity that show how deeply social pressure affects us. Compliance is the most basic - you go along publicly but don't actually change your private beliefs. Identification means temporarily adopting a group's behaviours to be a member. Internalisation is the deepest level, where you permanently change your beliefs and attitudes to align with the group.
Quick Tip: Remember conformity levels by thinking C-I-I: Compliance (surface), Identification (temporary), Internalisation (permanent).

Sign up to see the content. It's free!
- Access to all documents
- Improve your grades
- Join milions of students
Social Groups and Personal Identity
Social psychology divides people into in-groups (people from your social group) and out-groups (people from different social groups). This social categorisation process leads to stereotypes - oversimplified beliefs about particular groups of people that can fuel prejudice and discrimination.
Group dynamics and group cohesion explain what keeps social groups connected and functioning. Groups work effectively when members have defined roles, share common goals, and maintain strong bonds. However, highly cohesive groups can fall into groupthink - prioritising agreement over critical thinking, which often leads to poor decisions.
Social facilitation shows how being around others can actually improve your performance on tasks you're already good at. This connects to how social situations affect your sense of self, including self-concept (how you see yourself overall), self-esteem (how much you value yourself), and self-efficacy (your belief in your ability to succeed at specific tasks).
Remember: Your performance can actually improve in front of others - but only for tasks you've already mastered!
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
Similar content
Most popular content in Psychology
9Social Influence Overview
Explore key concepts in social influence, including conformity, obedience, and minority influence. This comprehensive summary covers essential studies such as Milgram's experiment, Asch's conformity tests, and the Stanford prison experiment, providing insights into the psychological mechanisms behind social behavior. Ideal for A-Level revision.
Comprehensive Research Methods
Explore essential research methods in psychology, including experimental designs, types of experiments, observations, interviews, and ethical considerations. This summary covers key concepts such as independent and dependent variables, validity, reliability, and statistical significance, tailored for A Level AQA Psychology students.
AQA A Level Sociology Research Methods
Includes all research methods
Attachment Theory Overview
Explore key concepts of attachment theory, including Bowlby's Theory, the Strange Situation, and the role of fathers in attachment. This comprehensive summary covers maternal deprivation, secure and insecure attachments, and insights from animal studies. Ideal for AQA A-Level Psychology students seeking to understand childhood attachment dynamics.
Biopsychology Key Concepts
Explore essential biopsychology concepts including circadian rhythms, brain structure, and neurobiology. This comprehensive summary covers the nervous system, hormonal coordination, and the impact of brain plasticity on behavior. Ideal for AQA A Level Psychology revision.
Paper 2 - Approaches in Psychology ღ
ღ AQA A Level Psychology notes. ღ Covers AO1 + AO3 of: Origins of Psychology, Behaviourist Approach, Social Learning Theory, Cognitive Approach, Biological Approach, Humanistic Approach and Psychodynamic Approach ღ Any Qs, comment!! <3
Attachment- essay plans
All the content needed to answer 16 markers in psych- attachment
A Level AQA Biopsychology Content Mindmap
Biopsychology Content Mind Maps, DOES NOT CONTAIN RESEARCH OR EVALUATION
Attachment AQA
Attachment AQA Alevel Psychology paper one notes
Most popular content
9Sociology of Education Overview
Explore comprehensive A-Level Sociology notes on the education system, covering key theories, policies, and sociological perspectives. This resource includes insights on marketisation, gender roles, cultural deprivation, and educational inequalities, providing a thorough understanding of how education shapes social stratification and individual achievement. Ideal for exam preparation and in-depth study.
Sociology of Families: Comprehensive Revision
Dive into an extensive overview of family dynamics, perspectives, and patterns in sociology. This resource covers key concepts such as family diversity, gender roles, marriage, and the impact of social policies on family structures. Perfect for A-Level Sociology students preparing for Paper 2.
An Inspector Calls: Character Insights
Explore in-depth analysis and key quotes for characters in J.B. Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls'. This resource covers Gerald Croft, Inspector Goole, Sheila Birling, Mrs. Birling, Eric Birling, and Eva Smith, focusing on themes of class, gender roles, and social responsibility. Ideal for students aiming for Grade 8 and above.
Criminology: Crime & Punishment Overview
Comprehensive mindmaps covering key concepts in the Crime and Punishment topic for WJEC Criminology Unit 4. This resource includes detailed insights into the Criminal Justice System, crime prevention strategies, sentencing models, and the roles of various agencies. Ideal for A-Level revision, ensuring you grasp essential theories and legislative processes to excel in your exams.
WJEC Unit 4 Criminology
Criminology unit 4 detailed revision note
Criminology Theories Overview
Explore key criminology theories and their implications on crime and deviance. This comprehensive summary covers biological, psychological, and sociological perspectives, including labelling theory, right realism, and the impact of social campaigns on policy development. Ideal for A-Level criminology students seeking to understand the complexities of criminal behaviour and the factors influencing crime prevention strategies.
Romeo and Juliet: Key themes
Key Romeo and Juliet themes and analysed quotes
Macbeth: Guilt and Ambition
Explore the complex themes of guilt and ambition in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'. This analysis covers key characters, including Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, their moral dilemmas, and the tragic consequences of their ambition. Ideal for students studying character motivations, thematic elements, and the psychological impact of power. Includes insights on the natural order, manipulation, and the descent into madness.
AQA Biology: Key Concepts
Explore essential AQA Biology topics including Photosynthesis, Respiration, Homeostasis, Genetics, and Ecology. This comprehensive knowledge organizer covers key concepts such as energy transfer, hormonal control, and genetic variation, providing a solid foundation for your studies. Ideal for exam preparation and understanding biological processes.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.