A chief fire officer instructs a crew of firefighters to enter a structurally compromised building. When the officer is standing directly next to the crew, they all obey immediately. However, when the officer gives the same instruction over a radio transmitter from a command vehicle outside, several crew members refuse to enter.
Explain one strength and one weakness of Social Impact Theory as an explanation of obedience, making reference to the scenario above.
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.