SI - Asch

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To measure the extent that people conformed to the opinion of others, even in situation when the others’ answers were wrong

Question 2

Findings of Baseline Study

Answer 2

-> Naive participants conformed 36.8% of the time
-> Individual differences: 25% never gave a wrong answer
-> 75% conformed at least once

Question 3

Variable 1: Group size

Answer 3

-> Varied confederates from 1-15
-> 2C conformity = 13.6
-> 3C conformity = 31.8
-> above 3, levelled off

Question 4

Variable 2: Unanimity

Answer 4

-> Dissenting confederate - always disagreed with majority
-> Conformity reduced to less than 1/4 of level than when majority was unanimous

Question 5

Variable 3: Task difficulty

Answer 5

-> Made lines more similar in size
-> Conformity increased - situ more ambiguous (ISI)

Question 6

Criticism: Little Application

Answer 6

-> Only American men tested (Beta Bias), women may have conformed more due to wanting more social approval
-> US = individualistic, studies in China (collectivist) show higher conformity

Question 7

Criticism: Task/Situation was Artificial

Answer 7

-> Participants knew they were being studied - demand characteristics
-> Task wasn’t like real life - had no reason not to conform