AP Psychology 4.3.A: Social Situations
Explore AP Psychology 4.3.A questions on social norms, conformity, normative and informational influence, persuasion routes, and obedience.
- Syllabus
- Effective Fall 2025
- Course
- AP Psychology
Exam points
- explain how social norms and normative or informational influence affect behavior and mental processes
- apply central and peripheral routes to persuasion or foot-in-the-door and door-in-the-face techniques
- explain how conformity and obedience vary with social expectations or authority directives
4.3.A—Explain how the social situation affects behavior and mental processes question 1
[Maximum number: 1]
Rayce is exploring the idea of using online videos to sell his line of custom-made skateboards. While his friend
is making a video of him performing tricks at a local skate park, a large crowd forms to watch. Each time
Rayce successfully completes a trick, the crowd loudly applauds and yells, showing their approval.
Part B
Later, Rayce puts the video of himself online, complete with bright graphics and fast-tempo music. He
quickly gains new customers for his business by allowing people to try his skateboard free for an hour.
Explain how each of the following relates to the effectiveness of this sales campaign.
- Divergent thinking
- Peripheral route to persuasion
- Reciprocity norm
Peripheral route to persuasion
response must indicate the campaign used attention-grabbing elements.
Acceptable explanations include:
- Rayce uses graphics and music in his video to persuade people to buy his
skateboards.
- Customers are persuaded to buy the boards by the cool soundtrack in the video.
Unacceptable explanations include:
Responses that refer to central route to persuasion or specific information (e.g., facts,
statistics, logic, details) about the skateboard.
- Rayce informs people about a study that was conducted that showed that his
skateboards allow skaters to jump three inches (on average) higher than they
normally do when performing an Ollie.
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