asch’s research Flashcards
What variables affect conformity according to Asch?
Group size, unanimity, task difficulty
These variables were investigated by Solomon Asch to understand conformity better.
What is the Asch effect?
The extent to which participants conform even when the situation is unambiguous
This term describes the phenomenon observed in Asch’s studies.
How does group size affect conformity?
Conformity increases with group size, but only up to a point, leveling off when the majority is greater than three
Asch found that with three confederates, conformity rose significantly.
What is meant by ‘unanimity’ in the context of Asch’s studies?
The extent to which all members of a group agree
Unanimity produced the greatest degree of conformity among naive participants.
How does task difficulty influence conformity?
Conformity increases as task difficulty increases
This occurs because naive participants assume that the majority is more likely to be right.
What was the procedure used in Asch’s conformity studies?
Participants were shown two cards: one with a standard line and another with three comparison lines
Participants had to identify which comparison line matched the standard line.
How many trials did each participant take part in during Asch’s study?
18 trials
Out of these, 12 were ‘critical trials’ where confederates gave the wrong answer.
What percentage of naive participants conformed at least once in Asch’s study?
75%
This statistic highlights the significant influence of group pressure on individual responses.
What effect did the presence of a dissenting confederate have on conformity?
Conformity was reduced by a quarter
This suggests that having a dissenting opinion allows naive participants to behave more independently.
Fill in the blank: The naive participant gave a wrong answer ______% of the time.
36.8
This statistic reflects the level of conformity observed in the study.
What type of social influence did most participants report conforming to avoid?
Normative social influence
Participants conformed to fit in and avoid rejection from the group.
What happens to conformity when the line-judging task becomes more difficult?
Conformity increases
This is due to the ambiguity of the task leading individuals to look to others for guidance.
What was the main finding of Perrin and Spencer (1980) when they repeated Asch’s study?
Only one student conformed in a total of 396 trials
This suggests that the level of conformity may vary depending on the context and the participants involved.
What are demand characteristics in the context of Asch’s study?
Participants knew they were in a research study and may have conformed to the expectations of the situation
This can lead to behavior that may not reflect true conformity in natural settings.
According to Fiske (2014), how did Asch’s groups compare to real-life groups?
‘Asch’s groups were not very groupy’
This indicates that the artificial nature of the groups in the study limits the generalizability of the findings.
What limitation does the gender of participants in Asch’s study present?
Only men were tested, and other research suggests that women might be more conformist
This means Asch’s findings may not be applicable to women or to gender differences in conformity.
How do collectivist cultures compare to individualist cultures regarding conformity?
Conformity rates are higher in collectivist cultures
This suggests that cultural context significantly influences conformity behavior.
What did Williams and Sogon (1984) find regarding conformity in groups of friends versus strangers?
Conformity was actually higher when the majority of the group were friends
This indicates that social dynamics can affect conformity levels differently depending on the nature of the relationships within the group.
What ethical issue arose from the deception of participants in Asch’s study?
Participants believed that confederates were genuine participants
This raises concerns about the morality of deceiving participants in psychological research.
Why might the findings of Asch’s study only apply to certain situations?
Participants answered out loud and were with a group of strangers they wanted to impress
This suggests that situational factors heavily influence conformity, indicating a limitation in the study’s applicability.
Fill in the blank: Asch’s research is criticized for being conducted during a time when society was _______.
especially conformist
This temporal context may have influenced the level of conformity observed in the study.
True or False: Asch’s findings can be generalized across all cultures.
False
The study primarily involved American men, and findings may not be applicable to other genders or cultures.
What is one potential benefit of Asch’s study despite its ethical issues?
It provided valuable insights into social conformity and group dynamics
Such insights can inform understanding of social behavior in various contexts.
