Reaching A Verdict

Question 1

What is the aim for Asch?

Answer 1

To conduct a lab experiment to see to which extent social pressure from a majority group can influence conformity even when the task is unambiguous

Question 2

Participants for Asch?

Answer 2

123 male student participants taking part in a ‘vision test’

Question 3

What are 5 main things about the method of Asch’s study of majority influence ?

Answer 3

Lab experiment

Naive participant in a room with 7 confederates who had all agreed to give the incorrect answer

Participant had to state the comparison line with the target line (a,b or c)

Participant gave answer last every time

12/18 trials in total answer was given wrong by confederates

Question 4

results from Asch’s study of conformity to the majority?

Answer 4

1/3 (32%) went along and conformed with the majority when placed in this situation

74% confirmed at least once

Majority of 3 people can make someone conform

Question 5

What are the two reasons people conform?

Answer 5

Normative conformity
When they say the incorrect answer like the majority even though they think it is wrong

Informational conformity
When they genuinely believed it was the right answer and they must be wrong

Question 6

What are the buzzwords for Asch ? (5)

Answer 6

Majority influence 
Naive participant 
Target lines and comparison lines 
123 participants 
18 trials 
Unambiguous

Question 7

3 buzzwords for Nemeth ?

Answer 7

Minority
Autonomous
Compensation decision

Question 8

What is the aim for Nemeth ?

Answer 8

To investigate the influence of perceived autonomy and consistency on minority influence

Question 9

Background for Nemeth ?

Answer 9

Minority’s can influence a whole group

Moscovici - powerful social movements (nazi Germany/suffragettes) had outspoken, strong minded minorities which caused huge social change

Question 10

What method was Nemeth?

Answer 10

Mock jury - lab setting

Question 11

How many conditions in Nemeth and what are they?

Answer 11

2 conditions

Confederate sat at head of the table and choose their place

Confederate seated just as other 4 participants

Question 12

Participants for Nemeth ?

Answer 12

5 participants - 1 stooge

Question 13

What is the buzzword for Pernod and cutler

Answer 13

Witness confidence

Question 14

What is the background for Pernod and cutler ?

Answer 14

A confident witness is a powerful influence on the way a trial goes. Court appearances are nerve wrecking so most witnesses are shy and hesitant. If a witness is confident and speaks clearly about what they’re saying as if they are absolutely sure that they remember correctly, the jurors may think that what they are saying must be true.

A witness can be 100% sure and yet 100% wrong

Question 15

What is the aim of Pernod and cutler ?

Answer 15

A mock jury to examine the sensitivity of eye witness testimony - examining several factors including confidence

Question 16

What design was Penrod and Cutler ?

What were the IVs?

Answer 16

Independent measures all split into the 10 IVs - one was confidence

1 disguise
2 retention interval
3 witness confidence

Question 17

What were the participants for Penrod and cutler ?

Answer 17

129 experienced and eligible jurors from Dame County - Wisconsin

Question 18

What was the procedure for Penrod and Cutler?

Answer 18

Participants viewed a videotaped trial involving a witness having to identify an armed robber

Asked to decide if robber was guilty or not

Question 19

Findings for Penrod and Cutler ? (2-3)

Answer 19

Witness confidence was the only statistically significant effect of the variables (confidence, retention interval and disguise) in the mock trial

For all the other IVs and not witness confidence, guilty verdicts were 63% - 64% of the time given

When the witness was 80% sure a guilty verdict was given 60% of the time

When the witness was 100% sure a guilty verdict was given 67% of the time

Question 20

What is a conclusion for Penrod and Cutler?

Answer 20

Witness confidence is a power predictor of verdicts