At a local nature reserve, the management team is trying to ensure visitors do not leave litter on the trails. When the chief warden stands directly at the trailhead entrance alongside two other fully uniformed rangers to instruct visitors, almost everyone complies and takes a litter bag. However, when a single volunteer wearing standard casual clothes places a sign at the main car park exit asking visitors to pick up litter, many visitors ignore the request.
With reference to the scenario above, evaluate social impact theory as an explanation of obedience.
171 exam-style questions on Edexcel A Level Psychology Content, covering Theories of obedience, Research into obedience (Milgram variations), Factors affecting obedience and dissent, Explanations and research into prejudice, Factors affecting prejudice, Individual differences in obedience/prejudice, and Developmental psychology in obedience/prejudice. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.