Asch (1956) & Sherif (1935), NSI & ISI - SOCIAL INFLUENCE

Question 1

aim of study (Asch 1956)

Answer 1

to investigate the degree to which individuals conform to a majority who gave obviously wrong answers

Question 2

hypothesis of study (Asch 1956)

Answer 2

when confederates unanimously lie, no. of incorrect answers on critical trials by participants will increase

Question 3

what was the study designed to show (Asch 1956)

Answer 3

people do not make their own decisions

Question 4

how did Asch further investigate from his original research (Asch 1956)

Answer 4

changed aspects of the groups and situations

Question 5

group size (Asch 1956)

Answer 5

3-6 confederates = most persuasive majority

Question 6

what did conformity fall to with one dissenter

Answer 6

5.5%

Question 7

difficulty of task (Asch 1956)

Answer 7

more difficult = more conformity

correlation moderated by self-efficacy

Question 8

participants in Asch’s original research (1956)

Answer 8

123 american male students

Question 9

number of lines students asked to look at (excl. comparison line) (Asch 1956)

Answer 9

3

Question 10

number of confederates used in original research (Asch 1956)

Answer 10

5

Question 11

what were ‘critical trials’ (Asch 1956)

Answer 11

confederates gave identical wrong answers

Question 12

number of trials each participant took part in (Asch 1956)

Answer 12

18

Question 13

number of critical trials each participant took part in (Asch 1956)

Answer 13

12

Question 14

% of times the naive participant gave wrong answer (Asch 1956)

Answer 14

36.8%

Question 15

% of participants who conformed at least once (Asch 1956)

Answer 15

75%

Question 16

% if participants who conformed on 6 or more of the 12 critical trials (Asch 1956)

Answer 16

50%

Question 17

% of participants conformed on all 12 critical trials (Asch 1956)

Answer 17

5%

Question 18

error rate of control group (without confederates) (Asch 1956)

Answer 18

0.04% - showed how obvious correct answers were

Question 19

conclusions (Asch 1956)

Answer 19

1. judgements affected by majority opinions, even when obviously wrong
2. differences between individuals in amount affected by majority opinions
3. as most conformed publically, and not privately - suggests motivated by NSI

Question 20

who introduced the ideas of NSI and ISI

Answer 20

Deutsch and Gerard (1955)

Question 21

normative social influence

Answer 21

conforming to gain approval/acceptance or avoid rejection

linked to compliance

Question 22

informational social influence

Answer 22

conforming as you believe others are right/ don’t want to be wrong
linked to internalisation

Question 23

Sherif (1935) procedure

Answer 23

spotlight in dark room, asked how far it moved in both groups and individually

Question 24

aim of Sherif (1935)

Answer 24

to compare conformity individually and in groups

Question 25

results of Sherif (1935)

Answer 25

people tended to conform when in groups and would come to a decision together instead of on their own

Question 26

supportive research on NSI

Answer 26

Schulz et al (2008)
hotel guests –> towels
guests told 75% previous guests reused towels each day. reduced own towel use by 25%.
showed people shape behaviour to fit in

Question 27

supportive research on ISI

Answer 27

Wittenbrink and Henley (1996)
people exposed to neg. information about African-Americans (believed it was majority view) later reported more neg. views about a black individual