Asch's Research

Question 1

when?

Answer 1

1951

Question 2

What did Asch conduct?

Answer 2

A visual discrimination task where all but one participant were confederates

Question 3

Sample?

Answer 3

123 US male students

Question 4

Procedure?

Answer 4

Asked to identify standard line length. Confederates instructed to give same wrong answer.

Question 5

Results?

Answer 5

Participants gave the wrong answer 36.8% of the time.

They said the conformed to avoid rejection (NSI) and continued to trust own personal view (COMPLIANCE)

Question 6

Group size condition

Answer 6

When there was just 2 confederates conformity fell (to 13.6%). 3 or more confederates it rose to 31.8%

Question 7

Agreement condition

Answer 7

The presence of 1 confederate giving a different answer caused conformity to fall. Participant behaved more independently

Question 8

Task difficulty condition

Answer 8

Conformity levels increased (ISI)

Question 9

LIMITATION: child of the times

Answer 9

Took place in the 1950’s when conformity was high, lacks temporal validity.

Question 10

LIMITATION: artificial

Answer 10

Participants aware of the study so may have responded to demand characteristics.

Artificial task doesn’t have the same consequences as conformity in real life, cannot he generalised.

Question 11

LIMITATION: culture and gender bias

Answer 11

Findings limited to US men.

Women may be more conformist as they’re more concerned about social relationships.

Collectivist cultures care more about group needs so may also be more conformist.

Question 12

LIMITATION: unethical

Answer 12

Deceived participants into thinking the procedure was genuine.

Benefits of highlighting susceptibility to conformity outweighs ethical cost.