Key Studies in Conformity Flashcards
What are the 3 key studies for conformity?
Jenness’s Study (1931) or Sherif (1935)
Asch’s study (1951)
What was the aim of Jenness’s study?
To see if people would change their opinion in an ambiguous situation
What was the situation for Jenness’s study
26 students - groups of 3
Glass bottle with over 800 jelly beans
What was the method of Jenness’s study?
- Participants estimated amount of jelly beans in the jar
- Groups would discuss how many jelly beans in jar
- Participants COULD change their answer
What were the results of Jenness’s study?
Nearly all participants changes their original answers
Shows Informational Social Influence - the group was more likely to be correct
Shows internalisation - they changed their answers privately
What was the aim of Asch’s experiment (1951)?
To see the extent to which social pressure from a majority group could affect a person to conform
What is the basic info about Asch’s study?
123 Male American students
Groups of 6 to 8 - only 1 real participant
12 critical trials of 18 (confederates gave same wrong answer)
Control groups - error rate of 0.04% (VERY LOW)
What was the method in Asch’s experiment?
People asked the judge the length of lines and say their answers aloud
Real participant always near the end so would hear the other’s answers
What were the results of Asch’s experiment?
75% of participants conformed at least once in the critical trials
5% of the 75% conformed every time
25% of participants didn’t conform at all
What information did Asch get when interviewing his participants?
He asked them why them conformed
The wanted to “fit in” & “not be ridiculed”
What is the conclusion about Asch’s experiment?
Shows Normative Social Influence
Shows compliance as tasks were not ambiguous
