Conformity: Asch research

Question 1

Conformity: Asch research

procedure

Answer 1

└Asch (1951,1955)
└comparing unambiguous line lengths on cards
└123 male American undergraduate volunteers
└1 naïve participant, 6-8 confederates
└12/18 of critical trials confederates gave same wrong answer

Question 2

Conformity: Asch research

findings

Answer 2

└wrong answer: 36.8%
└conformed once: 75%
└Asch affect- the extent to which participants conformed in an unambiguous situation
└in end interview said conformed to avoid rejection
└normative social influence

Question 3

Conformity: Asch research

variations

Answer 3

Group size
Unanimity
Task difficulty

Question 4

Factors that affect conformity

Group size

Answer 4

└3 confederates conform= increase to 31.8%
└more than 3= no difference
└need a majority of at least 3 but no more

Question 5

Factors that affect conformity

Unanimity

Answer 5

└dissenting confederate= reduce conformity by ¼

└influence of majority depends on unanimity of group

Question 6

Factors that affect conformity

Task difficulty

Answer 6

└lines more similar in length= increase conformity

└information social influence

Question 7

Limitations of Asch’s research into conformity

Summary

Answer 7

Not consistent - Perrin and Spencer (1980) engineering students
Artificial situation and task - Fiske(2014)
Limited application - gender, Neto (1995)
/ culture , bond and smith (1996)
Ethical issues- deception

Question 8

Limitations of Asch’s research into conformity

Not consistent

Answer 8

Perrin and Spencer (1980)
└repeated study with UK engineering students
└1 student conformed in 396 trials
└1950s conformist time in America= conform to social norms
└not consistent across time/situations- can’t be generalised

Question 9

Limitations of Asch’s research into conformity

Artificial situation and task

Answer 9

└demand characteristics- knew were in research study
└Fiske(2014)- ‘Asch’s groups were not very groupy’
└can’t generalise findings to everyday situations- low ecological validity

Question 10

Limitations of Asch’s research into conformity

Limited application

Answer 10

└only men tested
└Neto (1995)- woman more conformist as more concerned about social relationships
└united states
└individualist culture- in collectivist cultures (e.g. china) higher conformity rates- (Bond and Smith 1996)

Question 11

Limitations of Asch’s research into conformity

Ethical issues

Answer 11

└naïve participants were deceived as they thought the confederates were genuine participants like themselves
└benefits gained from study trump ethical cost