GCSE Psychology: Social influence (AQA) Diagram

• conformity


  Yielding to group pressure by changing your behaviour or beliefs
• majority influence


  Pressure which comes from the larger part of a group, and influence a smaller number or one person
• Obedience


  changing behaviour due to following direct commands, usually from an authority figure
• social factors in conformity


  Social or situational variation that changes conformity level, e.g. size of group, anonymity, task difficulty
• anti-social behaviour

  actions which harm society or a group in some way, directly or indirectly, e.g. vandalism
• pro-social behaviour

  actions which benefit society or a group in some way, directly or indirectly, e.g. charity
• dispositional factors in conformity


  Personality, age, expertise or other things that vary from person to person and affect conformity level
• normative influence


  the pressure to conform because we want to be liked or accepted by others, change may just be on the surface
• informational influence


  the pressure to conform because because we are unsure of the correct response, and so look to others as seen in the Jenness (1932) beans in the jar study
• Asch (1951)


  Research study which showed lines and used actors to give incorrect answers, thereby testing normative influence