Social influence

Suggest one limitation of primary data (1)

• time and effort from researcher

• more costly than just accessing secondary data

To assess the questionnaire’s validity, the researcher gave it to 30 participants and recorded the results. He then gave the same 30 participants an established questionnaire measuring locus of control. The researcher found a weak positive correlation between the two sets of results, suggesting that his questionnaire had low validity.

Explain how the validity of the researcher’s questionnaire could be improved. (4)

• researcher could compare the two questionnaires and note any differences

• researcher could identify and remove any items on his questionnaire that are problematic

• items may be problematic because they are leading, ambiguous, too complex, double-barreled

• researcher could incorporate a lie scale, so respondents are less aware that locus of control is being tested

A teacher was absent and left work for students to complete during the lesson. Some students in the class did not do the work their teacher had left for them.

Use one possible explanation of resistance to social influence to explain why this happened (4)

Social support

• resistance more likely to occur in the presence of others who are disobeying

• ‘some students’ suggests there was more than one who did not complete the work

• this would have given others more confidence to ignore the teachers instructions

• social support associated with diffusion of responsibility - the students may have reasoned that the more of them who disobey, the less likely they are to be in trouble

• credit use of evidence to support explanation e.g. Milgram - two confederates, one naive participant control

Could also talk about locus of control

A manager asked employees to stay late and complete a project, but some employees chose not to follow the request and left on time.

Use one possible explanation of resistance to social influence to explain why this happened (4)

• resistance more likely in the presence of disobedient role models

• ‘some employees’ suggests there was more than one who did not complete the work

• this would have given others more confidence to ignore the employer’s instructions

• associated with diffusion of responsibility - the more people who disobey, the less severe the consequences will be

• credit use of evidence to support explanation e.g. Milgram - two confederates, one naive participant variation

Evaluation points for Asch

• findings might not be relevant today - findings may have been influenced by the social attitudes of the 1950s

• artificial task - not a valid measure or real life conformity

• gender bias

• volunteer sample - behaviour may not represent thhat of a wider population

• ethical problems - deception (participants believed they were taking part in a test of perception) and protection from harm (participants were put in a stressful and embarrassing situation)