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Research into Conformity

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Research into Conformity
Essay Questions

8/10/12 marks
Marks are always split equally
Outline (AO1) + evaluate (AO2)

Unit 1 (PSYA1)- only one 1 essay question
Research methods
Developmental
Cognitive

Unit 2 (PSYA2)- at least 2 essay question
Social
Stress
Abnormality

Outline + Evaluate research into conformity (12 marks)

Outline (6 marks) - describing

Evaluate (6 marks)

Conformity- Asch, Sherif Moscovici, zimberardo

Pick 2 studies – Asch and Sherif for example which 6 marks.

AO1- (6 marks)
3- Asch – Aims, Procedure, findings/conclusions
3- Sherif – Aims, Procedure, findings/conclusions

AO2- (6 marks)
Evaluate – S+W
Research methods
It lacks Mundane realism- why ash lacks mundane lacks it and then why sherif
Population validity- Asch then Sherif
Sherif study was ambiguous
However one strength they are good internal validity – lab.

Essay –

Research into conformity includes Sherif’s study conducted in 1935. The aims of his study were to study how people were influences by other people’s opinion, in their perception of the autokinetic effect. The Participants were seated in a dark room. Fifteen feet in front of the participants was a pinpoint of light that appears. Participants have to guess how far it moves. The dot doesn’t actually move but due to autokinetic effects, very small movements of the eyes make the light seem to move. Each participant developed their own personal answer, which varied considerably between individuals. Then the next day, three participants re-did the experiment, with two other participants that gave very different answers, to see if hearing other people’s answer would affect their answers. For example if a participant said it moved 6 inches when he was on his own. However when two other participants that said much less joined him, he says it moves much less than the day before. The first participants original response changes when in company of other people, this showing social influence. The
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