Social Influence: Asch AO1

Question 1

What was the main objective of Asch?

Answer 1

He wanted to determine the extent to which social pressure from a majority could affect the person to conform even if the situation is certain.

Question 2

Participants of Asch

Answer 2

• 123 American men
• Groups of 6-8 participants

Question 3

How many out of 18 trials did the participant gave a unanimous wrong answer?

Answer 3

Participants gave a unanimous wrong answer on 12 trials.

Question 4

Procedure of Asch’s study
- How did the study occur? What did the participants and confederates do?

Answer 4

• Each group was presented with a ‘standard line’ and 3 comparison lines.
• Participants had to say out loud their answers.
• Naive participant was seated either to the last or next to the last.
• Other participants (confederates) had scripted answers

Question 5

Findings
How often do naive participants give a wrong answer?

Answer 5

Naive participant gave a wrong answer 37% of the time.

Question 6

Findings
Did all the participants conform once? If yes, how often?

Answer 6

75% conformed at least once
- so 25% did not conform at all