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Mrs King asked her class of 29 students to stop talking whilst she explained to them what they were required to do during that lesson - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 1 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 1
Mrs King asked her class of 29 students to stop talking whilst she explained to them what they were required to do during that lesson. The students did not follow th... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Mrs King asked her class of 29 students to stop talking whilst she explained to them what they were required to do during that lesson - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 1 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe social impact theory in relation to authority
Answer
Mrs. King is only one source of authority in a class of 29 students. The social impact theory suggests that the influence of an authority figure can be diluted when there are many targets. Since the authority of Mrs. King is spread across her entire class, her direct impact on each individual student is lessened.
Step 2
Explain diffusion of responsibility
Answer
In this scenario, the students may ignore Mrs. King's instruction due to a phenomenon known as diffusion of responsibility. With so many students present, individuals might feel less accountable for following directives, believing that someone else will heed the request. This diffusion leads to a decrease in the perceived urgency to comply with her instruction.