Lesson 3 - Variables Affecting Conformity

Question 1

What were the findings of Asch’s Experiment?

Answer 1

• 75% conformed in at least 1/18 trials
• 25% did not conform at all
• 5% conformed in every trial

Question 2

How did findings change with group size?

Answer 2

• W/ one confederate = 3% conformity
• W/ two confederates = 13% conformity
• W/ three + confederates = 32% conformity

Question 3

How did findings change with task difficulty? How did Asch change Task difficulty?

Answer 3

• When the task was harder = more conformity (more informational social influence)
• He made the lines more similar in length

Question 4

How did findings change with Unanimity?

Answer 4

• When the group had unanimity (everyone agreed) = conformity increased
• When one person in the group gave a different answer = conformity dropped
• One confederate that went against the group = conformity from 33% to 5%
• When the rebel confederate answered the question wrong = conformity from 33% to 9%

Question 5

Evaluation of Asch (1951, 1956)

What was wrong with the sample?

Answer 5

• Gender bias: experiment only included males
• Cultural bias: experiment only included white American men
• No Population validity: a volunteer sample was used

Unrepresentative of women and other cultures
Volunteer samples mean it does not represent a wider population, and the experiment cannot be generalised to represent the wider population.

Question 6

Evaluation of Asch (1951, 1956)

What was wrong with the methodology?

Answer 6

• Temporal Validity: study conducted 80 years ago, people were more conformist due to post war attitudes.
• Mundane Realism: experiment did not reflect real life (was about lines)
• Ecological Validity: experiment cannot be generalised to real life

Question 7

Evaluation of Asch (1951, 1956)

What were the pros and cons with the ethics?

Answer 7

• Deception: Participants believed they were taking part in a test of perception
• Lack of Informed Consent: Participants did not agree to take part in a study about conformity
• Psychological Harm: Participants were out in a stressful and embarrassing situation.
  Prevented Demand Characteristics: participants didn’t change their behaviour to try and prove they wouldn’t conform
• Prevent invalidity: if demand characteristics were presented, the study would have been invalid.