Asch - FINDINGS Flashcards
What was the percentage of wrong answers from the naive participants on the critical trials?
36.8%
Why did Asch conduct control trials?
To confirm that the stimulus lines were unambiguous.
What did Asch find from conducting a control trial?
In ordinary circumstances, Asch found that people made mistakes 1% of the time.
How many participants conformed at least once? (percentage)
75% conformed at least once
How many of the participants never gave a wrong answer? (percentage)
One quarter, 25% of the participants never gave a wrong (conforming) answer.
Why did Asch vary the key features of the groups?
To examine the effects on conformity
What did Asch find with the variations of the size of the group?
Asch found that with only one confederate, the naive participant was swayed very little. with two confederates, the naive participant accepted the wrong answer 13.6% of the time. With three confederates, this rose to 31.8%. Any more confederates made hardly any difference.
What were the findings of the variation of a truthful partner?
This reduced the pressure on the naive participant to conform, participants answered incorrectly 25% as often as in the bassline study.
What were the findings of a dissenting, inaccurate partner?
The effect was to reduce the pressure to conform, the presence of a dissenter increased independence.
What were the findings of a partner who changes his mind?
the naive participant acted independently for the first 6 critical trials and then submitted to the majority’s wrong answers, following his partner. Therefore, his independent behaviour didn’t last.
What were the findings on a partner who leaves?
After the first 6 critical trials, If the partner had to leave (pre arranged appointment) then the naive participant submitted to the majority’s wrong answers, but less so if the partner had to leave for ‘no good reason’.
