Question 1
Assess the use of psychological knowledge in social control.
AO1 (8 marks), AO3 (12 marks)
AO1
- Social control is regulating other people's behaviour so they comply to
social norms/values/beliefs/rules.
- Social control can be a conscious decision by those in power to elicit
behaviours they see or feel are desirable.
- Understanding factors affecting obedience can help reduce atrocities like
genocide, but can also give insight into how to control others.
- Determining what behaviour is acceptable in society can remove
individual decision making from those in vulnerable positions.
- Some biological explanations see behaviour as pre-determined, which
categorises individuals as inherently different.
- Holism in psychology would suggest that individual behaviours are a
result of many factors and all these cannot be socially controlled.
- Psychology has contributed to treatments for mental health which has
helped individuals and given them more individual control.
- Understanding the media role in aggressive behaviour enables positive
control in media content such as PEGI age restrictions on games.
AO3
- Skinner claimed that operant conditioning increases desirable
behaviours and decreases undesirable behaviour, this gives control to
those who know how to use rewards and punishments.
- Milgram (1963) showed that authority figures can elicit control over
others to commit actions they would not normally do, leading to
individuals following the orders of those in power.
- Moscovici (1969) showed that a minority could influence a majority, so
those in power may not have full social control over individuals where
there is dissent from a consistent few.
- Mental health disorders such as drapetomania could be considered a
way to control slaves through diagnosis of abnormality if they had a
desire to escape, legitimising control over a vulnerable group.
- Rosenhan (1973) found that a diagnosis of schizophrenia led to pseudo-
patients losing their basic rights and being controlled in psychiatric
institutions, resulting in unwanted behavioural constraint.
- Zimbardo (1989) found guards became violent and prisoners became
more damaged and withdrawn, so role conformity can explain exerting
social control over powerless groups by those in positions with control.
- The effect of neurotransmitters has reduced misunderstandings of
mental health so patients can lead better lives instead of being locked
away or mistreated, so this gives control to the person not clinician.
- Bastian et al. (2011) highlight how violent video games reduce
humanity in individuals which helps control and censor video game
content and age ratings as a benefit to society to reduce aggression.
- Social learning theory suggests that positive role models in the media,
for example showing helping behaviours or altruism, could motivate
others to behaviour in ways that are considered acceptable or beneficial
to society, as such is using knowledge for positive outcomes not control.
Look for other reasonable marking points.
(20)
\begin{tabular}[t]{|l|l|l|}
\hline Level
Mark
Descriptor
\begin{tabular[t]{l}
AO1 (8 marks), AO3 (12 marks)
Candidates must demonstrate a greater emphasis on assessment/conclusion vs knowledge and understanding in their answer.
Knowledge & understanding is capped at maximum 8 marks.
\end{tabular}}
0
No rewardable material.
Level 1
1-4
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Generic assertions may be presented. Limited attempt to address the question. (AO3)
\end{tabular}
Level 2
5-8
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates mostly accurate knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Candidates will produce statements with some development in the form of mostly accurate and relevant factual material, leading to a generic or superficial assessment being presented. (AO3)
\end{tabular}
Level 3
9-12
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates accurate knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Arguments developed using mostly coherent chains of reasoning, leading to an assessment being presented which considers a range of factors. Candidates will demonstrate understanding of competing arguments/factors but unlikely to grasp their significance. The assessment leads to a judgement but this will be imbalanced. (AO3)
\end{tabular}
Level 4
13-16
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Displays a logical assessment, containing logical chains of reasoning throughout which consider a range of factors. Demonstrates an understanding of competing arguments/factors but does not fully consider the significance of each which in turn leads to an imbalanced judgement being presented. (AO3)
\end{tabular}
Level 5
17-20
Marks
\begin{tabular}[t]{l}
Demonstrates accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding. (AO1)
Displays a well-developed and logical assessment, containing logical chains of reasoning throughout. Demonstrates a full understanding and awareness of the significance of competing arguments/factors leading to a balanced judgement being presented. (AO3)
\end{tabular}