Asch’s Study

Question 1

What year

Answer 1

1955

Question 2

Aim

Answer 2

To investigate to what extent people will conform to the opinion on others and what variables that may increase or decrease this

Question 3

Group size: impact on conformity

Answer 3

He varied the number of confederates from 1-15
He found a curvilinear relationship between conformity rate and group size.
Conformity increased with group size up to a certain point
With 3 confederates 31.8% conformity to wrong answer, more confederates made little difference

Question 4

Unanimity: impact on conformity

Answer 4

Would the presence of a non-conforming person affect the pps conformity ?
* conformity decreased in the present of someone who objected to

Question 5

Task difficulty: impact on conformity

Answer 5

Harder = changed degree of conformity?
* yes , ISI

Question 6

Evaluation

Answer 6

L: pps knew they were in a study -> possible demand characteristics
L: limited application: all pps were American men. the US is an individualist culture so they care more abt themselves similar studies conducted in collectivist cultures like China had higher conformity rates - Asch’s findings tell us little about conformity in women and diff cultures
S: research supports the difficulty task e.g Lucas et al. HOWEVER this study also showed that conformity is more complex than suggested by Asch and it relates to their confidence.

Question 7

Definition of unanimity

Answer 7

The extent to which all members in a group agree

Question 8

Definition of conformity

Answer 8

A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions due to real or imagined pressure from a person or a group