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4 Dec 2025

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AQA Psychology A-Level Paper 1: Social Influence Revision Notes

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𝓮𝓭𝓮𝓷<3 @edental

Social influence is all about how other people affect your thoughts, feelings, and actions. From copying your mates'... Show more

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Social Conformity Why We Follow the Crowd

Ever found yourself agreeing with everyone else even when you think they're wrong? That's conformity - when you change your behaviour because of pressure from a majority group. It happens because of two main reasons that are surprisingly relatable.

Normative Social Influence (NSI) kicks in when you go along with the group to avoid looking stupid or being rejected. Think of it as agreeing publicly whilst disagreeing privately - like laughing at a joke you don't find funny. Informational Social Influence (ISI) happens when you genuinely believe the majority knows better than you, especially in confusing situations.

Kelman identified three types of conformity. Compliance is temporary - you act differently in public but keep your private views. Identification means changing behaviour to fit in with a group you value, even if you privately disagree. Internalisation is permanent change where you actually adopt the group's beliefs as your own.

Key Insight Most conformity is temporary and situation-dependent - you're not actually changing who you are inside.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Asch's Conformity Study The Line Experiment

Asch's famous study proves just how powerful social pressure can be, even when the answer is blindingly obvious. He showed participants cards with lines of clearly different lengths, but here's the twist - everyone else in the room was secretly working with the experimenter.

The results were shocking 74% of participants conformed at least once, giving obviously wrong answers just because everyone else did. On average, people conformed 37% of the time. However, 25% never conformed at all, showing that some people resist social pressure completely.

Group size mattered massively - conformity jumped from 3% with one confederate to 32% with three. Unanimity was crucial too - when just one person gave a different answer, conformity dropped to 25%. Making the task harder (similar line lengths) increased conformity because people genuinely doubted themselves.

Study Tip Remember the key variations - group size, unanimity, and task difficulty all affect conformity levels significantly.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Zimbardo's Prison Study When Good People Do Bad Things

This controversial study shows how situational factors can completely transform behaviour. Zimbardo created a mock prison in Stanford University's basement, randomly assigning 24 male volunteers to be either guards or prisoners.

The experiment spiralled out of control within days. Guards became increasingly brutal, using psychological humiliation and punishment. Prisoners showed severe distress, with some developing anxiety and depression. The study was meant to last two weeks but ended after just six days.

Zimbardo concluded that social roles and situational power dramatically influence behaviour - ordinary people can become cruel when given authority. However, the study faced massive ethical criticism for the psychological harm caused to participants.

The research has serious limitations sample bias (only American males), lack of ecological validity (artificial prison setting), and questionable ethics. Some argue the guards were simply acting out stereotypical roles rather than genuinely changing.

Critical Point This study highlights the power of situations over personality, but its ethical violations make it impossible to replicate today.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Obedience and Authority Why We Follow Orders

Obedience means complying with direct orders from authority figures - think teachers, police, or bosses. Two key explanations help us understand why people obey even harmful commands.

Authoritarian personality theory suggests some people are naturally more obedient due to strict upbringing. Adorno's F-scale measures traits like conformity, respect for authority, and hostility towards lower-status groups. Research found that highly obedient participants in Milgram's study scored higher on authoritarianism.

Agentic state theory argues that people shift responsibility to authority figures, seeing themselves as agents rather than decision-makers. When someone asks "who's responsible if something goes wrong?" and the authority figure takes blame, obedience increases dramatically.

Legitimacy of authority explains how we recognise social hierarchies and accept that some people have the right to give orders. Uniforms, titles, and institutional settings all boost perceived legitimacy, making obedience more likely.

Real-World Application Understanding obedience helps explain historical events like Nazi Germany and modern workplace dynamics.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Milgram's Obedience Study The Shocking Truth

Milgram's study revealed that ordinary people will inflict apparent harm when ordered by authority. Participants thought they were testing learning and memory, but were actually the real subjects in an obedience experiment.

The setup was brilliant but deceptive participants ("teachers") gave electric shocks to a "learner" (actually a confederate) for wrong answers, increasing voltage up to 450V. A stern experimenter in a lab coat ordered them to continue despite the learner's apparent distress.

65% of participants delivered the maximum 450V shock, even when the learner seemed to have a seizure. This wasn't because they were sadistic - many showed extreme anxiety and distress but continued when told "the experiment requires you to continue."

Situational variations dramatically affected obedience levels. Moving from Yale University to a downtown office dropped obedience to 47.5%. When the experimenter wore ordinary clothes instead of a lab coat, it fell to 20%. Physical proximity to the victim also mattered - obedience dropped when participants had to physically force the learner's hand onto the shock plate.

Ethical Note Like Zimbardo's study, this research caused psychological harm and couldn't be conducted today due to ethical guidelines.

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Stefan S

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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.

Samantha Klich

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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.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

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very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

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I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

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.

Stefan S

iOS user

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.

Samantha Klich

Android user

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.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

 

Psychology

449

4 Dec 2025

5 pages

AQA Psychology A-Level Paper 1: Social Influence Revision Notes

user profile picture

𝓮𝓭𝓮𝓷<3

@edental

Social influence is all about how other people affect your thoughts, feelings, and actions. From copying your mates' answers to following authority figures, understanding these psychological processes helps explain why we sometimes act differently when we're around others.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

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Social Conformity: Why We Follow the Crowd

Ever found yourself agreeing with everyone else even when you think they're wrong? That's conformity - when you change your behaviour because of pressure from a majority group. It happens because of two main reasons that are surprisingly relatable.

Normative Social Influence (NSI) kicks in when you go along with the group to avoid looking stupid or being rejected. Think of it as agreeing publicly whilst disagreeing privately - like laughing at a joke you don't find funny. Informational Social Influence (ISI) happens when you genuinely believe the majority knows better than you, especially in confusing situations.

Kelman identified three types of conformity. Compliance is temporary - you act differently in public but keep your private views. Identification means changing behaviour to fit in with a group you value, even if you privately disagree. Internalisation is permanent change where you actually adopt the group's beliefs as your own.

Key Insight: Most conformity is temporary and situation-dependent - you're not actually changing who you are inside.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Asch's Conformity Study: The Line Experiment

Asch's famous study proves just how powerful social pressure can be, even when the answer is blindingly obvious. He showed participants cards with lines of clearly different lengths, but here's the twist - everyone else in the room was secretly working with the experimenter.

The results were shocking: 74% of participants conformed at least once, giving obviously wrong answers just because everyone else did. On average, people conformed 37% of the time. However, 25% never conformed at all, showing that some people resist social pressure completely.

Group size mattered massively - conformity jumped from 3% with one confederate to 32% with three. Unanimity was crucial too - when just one person gave a different answer, conformity dropped to 25%. Making the task harder (similar line lengths) increased conformity because people genuinely doubted themselves.

Study Tip: Remember the key variations - group size, unanimity, and task difficulty all affect conformity levels significantly.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Zimbardo's Prison Study: When Good People Do Bad Things

This controversial study shows how situational factors can completely transform behaviour. Zimbardo created a mock prison in Stanford University's basement, randomly assigning 24 male volunteers to be either guards or prisoners.

The experiment spiralled out of control within days. Guards became increasingly brutal, using psychological humiliation and punishment. Prisoners showed severe distress, with some developing anxiety and depression. The study was meant to last two weeks but ended after just six days.

Zimbardo concluded that social roles and situational power dramatically influence behaviour - ordinary people can become cruel when given authority. However, the study faced massive ethical criticism for the psychological harm caused to participants.

The research has serious limitations: sample bias (only American males), lack of ecological validity (artificial prison setting), and questionable ethics. Some argue the guards were simply acting out stereotypical roles rather than genuinely changing.

Critical Point: This study highlights the power of situations over personality, but its ethical violations make it impossible to replicate today.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Obedience and Authority: Why We Follow Orders

Obedience means complying with direct orders from authority figures - think teachers, police, or bosses. Two key explanations help us understand why people obey even harmful commands.

Authoritarian personality theory suggests some people are naturally more obedient due to strict upbringing. Adorno's F-scale measures traits like conformity, respect for authority, and hostility towards lower-status groups. Research found that highly obedient participants in Milgram's study scored higher on authoritarianism.

Agentic state theory argues that people shift responsibility to authority figures, seeing themselves as agents rather than decision-makers. When someone asks "who's responsible if something goes wrong?" and the authority figure takes blame, obedience increases dramatically.

Legitimacy of authority explains how we recognise social hierarchies and accept that some people have the right to give orders. Uniforms, titles, and institutional settings all boost perceived legitimacy, making obedience more likely.

Real-World Application: Understanding obedience helps explain historical events like Nazi Germany and modern workplace dynamics.

Social m
influence
AN INDIVIDUALS
ATTITUDES/BELIEFS/
BEHAVIOUR ARE
CHANGED DUE TO
THE PRESENCE OF
public
agreement
private
Compliance
✓ •ind

Sign up to see the contentIt's free!

Access to all documents

Improve your grades

Join milions of students

By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Milgram's Obedience Study: The Shocking Truth

Milgram's study revealed that ordinary people will inflict apparent harm when ordered by authority. Participants thought they were testing learning and memory, but were actually the real subjects in an obedience experiment.

The setup was brilliant but deceptive: participants ("teachers") gave electric shocks to a "learner" (actually a confederate) for wrong answers, increasing voltage up to 450V. A stern experimenter in a lab coat ordered them to continue despite the learner's apparent distress.

65% of participants delivered the maximum 450V shock, even when the learner seemed to have a seizure. This wasn't because they were sadistic - many showed extreme anxiety and distress but continued when told "the experiment requires you to continue."

Situational variations dramatically affected obedience levels. Moving from Yale University to a downtown office dropped obedience to 47.5%. When the experimenter wore ordinary clothes instead of a lab coat, it fell to 20%. Physical proximity to the victim also mattered - obedience dropped when participants had to physically force the learner's hand onto the shock plate.

Ethical Note: Like Zimbardo's study, this research caused psychological harm and couldn't be conducted today due to ethical guidelines.

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.

13

Smart Tools NEW

Transform this note into: ✓ 50+ Practice Questions ✓ Interactive Flashcards ✓ Full Mock Exam ✓ Essay Outlines

Mock Exam
Quiz
Flashcards
Essay

Most popular content: Social Influence

Most popular content in Psychology

Most popular content

Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.

Students love us — and so will you.

4.9/5

App Store

4.8/5

Google Play

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.

Stefan S

iOS user

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.

Samantha Klich

Android user

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.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user

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.

Stefan S

iOS user

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.

Samantha Klich

Android user

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.

Anna

iOS user

Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good

Thomas R

iOS user

Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.

Basil

Android user

This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.

David K

iOS user

The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!

Sudenaz Ocak

Android user

In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.

Greenlight Bonnie

Android user

very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.

Rohan U

Android user

I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.

Xander S

iOS user

THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮

Elisha

iOS user

This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now

Paul T

iOS user