Asch conformity (AO1)

Question 1

When was the study?

Answer 1

1951

Question 2

Who were the participants?

Answer 2

123 American male participants

Question 3

What were the aims?

Answer 3

To see the extent to which people conformed to the opinion of others, even when they were clearly wrong

Question 4

Findings 1

Answer 4

Naive participants conformed 36.8% of the time, this shows conformity is high when the situation is ambiguous

Question 5

Findings 2

Answer 5

25% never conformed, 75% conformed at least once

Question 6

Variable 1

Answer 6

Group size (varied number of confederates between 1 and 15), total group size between 2 and 16)

Question 7

Variable 1 findings

Answer 7

Group size and conformity relationship was curvilinear, 2 confederates: 13.6% conformity, 3 confederates: 31.8%, above 3 the rates levelled off
People are very sensitive to opinions of others ad even one confederate was enough to sway opinion

Question 8

Variable 2

Answer 8

Unanimity, dissenting confederate sometimes gave the correct answer and sometimes gave a different wrong answer

Question 9

Variable 2 findings

Answer 9

Conformity reduced to less than a quarter of the level it was when the majority was unanimous, conformity reduced if dissenter gave correct answer or different wrong answer - having a dissenter enabled participants to behave more independently

Question 10

Variable 3

Answer 10

Task difficulty, lines were made more similar in length, making it harder to see the difference

Question 11

Variable 3 findings

Answer 11

Conformity increased, situation is ambiguous so we look to others for guidance and assume they are right and we are wrong, this is informational social influence