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Do most people resist group pressure to conform?
No Yes, most people stay fully independent
Social Influence is a core part of GCSE Psychology. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.
Key concepts Conformity Changing behaviour to match a group.
Obedience Following a direct order from an authority.
Normative influence Conforming to be liked or to fit in with the group.
Informational influence Conforming because others seem to know more.
Compliance Public agreement without private change.
Internalisation Public and private acceptance of group view.
Asch's line study 1951 conformity test using line judgements.
Milgram's study 1963 obedience test using fake electric shocks.
Bystander effect People help less when others are present.
Diffusion of responsibility Sharing blame so no individual acts.
Kitty Genovese 1964 case sparking bystander research.
Confederate Actor working with the researcher.
Ethical issues Concerns about harm, consent and deception.
Ecological validity Extent results apply outside the lab.
Show all 14 key concepts What your exam board covers Where Social Influence sits in each exam board's specification. Tap a board to see what it lists.
AQA Social influence Spec 8182 Part of: Paper 2 — Social context and behaviour
Source: AQA GCSE Psychology (8182) specification — Subject content , accessed 23 June 2026.
Edexcel Topic 5: Social influence Spec 1PS0 Key terms: obedience, conformity, deindividuation, bystander effect Factors affecting bystander intervention Conformity to majority influence and factors affecting it Obedience to authority and factors affecting it Collective and crowd behaviour (pro- and anti-social) Preventing blind obedience to authority figures Key studies: Piliavin et al. (1969); Haney, Banks and Zimbardo (1973) Issues and debates: social and cultural issues Source: Pearson Edexcel GCSE Psychology (1PS0) specification , accessed 23 June 2026.
OCR Social influence Spec J203 Part of: Studies and applications in psychology 2
Source: OCR GCSE (9–1) Psychology (J203) specification , accessed 23 June 2026.
L Learn Social Influence step by step
Free interactive mini-lessons: short screens, worked examples and quick checks. Pick your exam board:
Common mistakes to avoid Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:
Do most people resist group pressure to conform? ✗ Yes, most people stay fully independent. ✓ No — studies show many people conform or obey authority.
What did Milgram's study show about obedience? ✗ Almost no one obeyed the experimenter. ✓ Ordinary people often obey authority figures, even against their conscience.
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