1.3: Situational variables

Question 1

Identify three variables affecting conformity and outline how each of these was investigated in Asch’s experiment (6 marks)

Answer 1

Asch found that group size, task difficulty and unanimity affected the level of conformity

Question 2

Identify three variables affecting conformity and outline how each of these was investigated in Asch’s experiment (6 marks).
Asch found that group size, task difficulty and unanimity affected the level of conformity.
For group size, what did Asch do?

Answer 2

For group size, Asch varied the number of confederates

Question 3

Identify three variables affecting conformity and outline how each of these was investigated in Asch’s experiment (6 marks).
Asch found that group size, task difficulty and unanimity affected the level of conformity.
For group size, Asch varied the number of confederates.
For task difficulty, what did Asch do?

Answer 3

For task difficulty, Asch made the right answer less obvious by having lines of similar length

Question 4

Identify three variables affecting conformity and outline how each of these was investigated in Asch’s experiment (6 marks).
Asch found that group size, task difficulty and unanimity affected the level of conformity.
For group size, Asch varied the number of confederates.
For task difficulty, Asch made the right answer less obvious by having lines of similar length.
For unanimity, what did Asch do?

Answer 4

For unanimity, Asch sometimes arranged for a confederate to give a different answer to the majority

Question 5

Identify three variables affecting conformity and outline Asch’s findings in relation to these (6 marks)

Answer 5

Asch found that group size, task difficulty and unanimity affected the level of conformity

Question 6

Identify three variables affecting conformity and outline Asch’s findings in relation to these (6 marks).
Asch found that group size, task difficulty and unanimity affected the level of conformity.
With group size, what?

Answer 6

With group size, the level of conformity increased with up to 3 confederates, thereafter it tended to plateau

Question 7

Identify three variables affecting conformity and outline Asch’s findings in relation to these (6 marks).
Asch found that group size, task difficulty and unanimity affected the level of conformity.
With group size, the level of conformity increased with up to 3 confederates, thereafter it tended to plateau.
With task difficulty, what?

Answer 7

With task difficulty, where the lines were of similar length, making the judgement more difficult, conformity levels increased, whereas when the correct answer was obvious, conformity levels decreased

Question 8

Identify three variables affecting conformity and outline Asch’s findings in relation to these (6 marks).
Asch found that group size, task difficulty and unanimity affected the level of conformity.
With group size, the level of conformity increased with up to 3 confederates, thereafter it tended to plateau.
With task difficulty, where the lines were of similar length, making the judgement more difficult, conformity levels increased, whereas when the correct answer was obvious, conformity levels decreased.
With unanimity, what?

Answer 8

With unanimity, where the majority were unanimous in their wrong answer, conformity levels increased, whereas when there was an ally, conformity levels decreased