Pro- and Anti-Social Behaviour

    OCR
    GCSE

    This study area examines the psychological mechanisms driving human interaction, specifically the dichotomy between helping behaviour (pro-social) and aggression or rule-breaking (anti-social). Candidates must analyse the shift from dispositional explanations (personality-driven) to situational factors (environmental-driven) in the post-WWII era. Key focus areas include the impact of social influence, the mechanics of the bystander effect, and the loss of personal identity in crowds (deindividuation). Mastery requires evaluating classic research (Piliavin, Zimbardo) against contemporary ethical standards and understanding the societal implications for policing, emergency response, and crowd management.

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    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    3
    Pitfalls
    3
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Award marks for precise definitions of psychological concepts (e.g., distinguishing 'diffusion of responsibility' from 'pluralistic ignorance').
    • Credit responses that accurately cite Piliavin et al.'s aim, procedure, results, and conclusions without conflating them with other social influence studies.
    • In 13-mark extended responses, candidates must integrate AO1 (Theory/Study) with AO3 (Evaluation) rather than presenting them as separate, unconnected blocks.
    • Award marks for application (AO2) where candidates explicitly link theories to the specific details of the provided scenario, rather than giving generic theoretical explanations.

    Example Examiner Feedback

    Real feedback patterns examiners use when marking

    • "You have defined the concept correctly, but you missed the opportunity to apply it to the specific character in the scenario."
    • "Your evaluation of Piliavin is accurate; to improve, explicitly compare the field experiment method with a lab experiment to highlight the trade-offs."
    • "Ensure you distinguish clearly between 'diffusion of responsibility' (a mental process) and the 'bystander effect' (the observable outcome)."
    • "For the 13-mark question, your conclusion needs to weigh the evidence presented rather than just summarizing what you already wrote."

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Award marks for precise definitions of psychological concepts (e.g., distinguishing 'diffusion of responsibility' from 'pluralistic ignorance').
    • Credit responses that accurately cite Piliavin et al.'s aim, procedure, results, and conclusions without conflating them with other social influence studies.
    • In 13-mark extended responses, candidates must integrate AO1 (Theory/Study) with AO3 (Evaluation) rather than presenting them as separate, unconnected blocks.
    • Award marks for application (AO2) where candidates explicitly link theories to the specific details of the provided scenario, rather than giving generic theoretical explanations.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡When answering 'Calculate' questions based on data tables, always show your working to ensure partial credit if the final figure is incorrect.
    • 💡For 'Evaluate' questions regarding Piliavin, focus on the trade-off between ecological validity (high in field experiments) and internal validity (control of extraneous variables).
    • 💡In scenario questions, quote small phrases from the text to prove you are applying your knowledge directly to the stimulus.
    • 💡Allocate approximately 15-20 minutes for the 13-mark extended writing question to ensure a balanced argument and a justified conclusion.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Confusing 'Social Loafing' (reduced effort in groups) with 'Social Facilitation' (improved performance in groups).
    • Describing the procedure of Piliavin et al. generically without specific details (e.g., failing to mention the 'cane' vs. 'drunk' conditions or the 70-second delay).
    • Providing generic ethical evaluations (e.g., 'it was unethical') without justifying why (e.g., 'lack of informed consent' or 'inability to withdraw' in a field experiment).

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Calculate
    Evaluate
    Discuss

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