Research methods in Social Influence past paper questions

Question 1

In an experiment, researchers arranged for participants to complete a very personal and embarrassing questionnaire in a room with other people. Each participant was tested individually. The other people were confederates of the experimenter.
In condition 1: the confederates completed the questionnaire.
In condition 2: the confederates refused to complete the questionnaire and asked to leave the experiment.
The researchers tested 15 participants in condition 1, and 15 different participants in condition 2.

Answer 1

Using your knowledge of social influence, explain the likely outcome of this experiment.
[3 marks]

• accept reference to normative social influence – participants will follow the majority to avoid rejection/fit in
• the participants in condition 2 experienced social support/disobedient role models and so were more likely to defy the researchers
• accept reference to diffusion of responsibility/increased confidence to defy orders in condition 2
• accept explanation based on relevant studies, eg Asch variations.

Question 2

For this study, the researchers had to use different participants in each condition and this could have affected the results.

Outline one way in which the researchers could have addressed this issue. 1
[4 marks]

Answer 2

*random allocation of participants to each condition.
• each participant is assigned a number or identified by name
• the numbers/names are placed into a random number generator/hat/lottery method
• the first participant drawn is assigned to condition 1, the second to condition 2, etc. OR the first 15 participants are assigned to condition 1 and the next 15 are assigned to condition 2.

Question 3

For this study, the researchers had to use different participants in each condition and this could have affected the results.

Outline one way in which the researchers could have addressed this issue. 2
[4 marks]

Answer 3

*a matched pairs design.
• participants should be matched on a variable that is relevant to the experiment
• this could be ascertained through the use of a pre-test e.g. completing a confidence questionnaire
• participants from each matched pair are allocated to different conditions.

Question 4

In order to analyse the difference in the number of participants who completed the questionnaire in each condition, the researchers used a chi-squared test.
Apart from reference to the level of measurement, give two reasons why the researchers used the chi-squared test.
[2 marks]

Answer 4

the design is unrelated / independent groups / independent data
the researcher is looking for a difference (between two conditions/sets of data) or an association/relationship (between two variables).
No credit for answers referring to correlations.

Question 5

With reference to the critical values in Table 1, explain whether or not the calculated value of chi-squared is significant at the 5% level.
[2 marks]

Answer 5

1 mark for stating that the value of chi squared is significant (at the 5% level).
Plus
1 mark for explanation:
the calculated/observed value (3.97) is more than/exceeds the critical/table value of 3.84/at 5%.