the ideal gas law is PV=NRT
for a real gas corrected to show the ideal behavior, van der waal equation (Pobs + aN^2/V^2)(V-Nb)=NRT
Since the attractive force of the molecules pull on each other, you have to add a term aN^2/V^2 to adjust for ideal behavior. Since we have defined the pressure to be 1atm. so the adjusted term Pobs+aN^2/V^2 will be greater than 1 atm. Since the ajusted term is greater than 1 atm, V-Nb will be smaller than ideal behavior evaluated at 1atm to keep NRT constant. Since b is specific for a specific molecule, it does not change. The change will be only applied to V, so V is decreased