Social Influence: Asch's conformity

Question 1

What is Asch’s aim?

Answer 1

To measure the extent to which people conformed to the opinions of others even when the correct answer is certain

Question 2

How many ppts in Asch’s study?

Answer 2

123 American Males tested individually amongst 6 to 8 confederates

Question 3

What is Asch’s procedure?

Answer 3

All shown a card with three different lines and another with standard line which clearly matched, had to say which one

Question 3

What did the confederates do in Asch’s study?

Answer 3

They gave a wrong answer in 12 out of 18 trials

Question 4

What were Asch’s findings?

Answer 4

Ppts conformed 36.8% of time, 75% conformed at least once and 25% did not conform at all

Question 5

What were Asch’s three variables?

Answer 5

Group size, uninamity and task difficulty

Question 6

What was the group size variation of Asch’s study?

Answer 6

The number of confederates varied from 1 to 15

Question 7

What were the conclusions from Asch’s group size variation?

Answer 7

People are very sensitive to the opinions of others and one confederate is enough to sway opinion

Question 7

What were the findings from Asch’s group size variation?

Answer 7

There was a curvlinear relationship, 2 confederates 13.6% conformity, 3 confederates 31.8% then levelled off

Question 8

What was the uninamity variation of Asch’s study?

Answer 8

A dissenting confederate was introduced

Question 9

What were the findings of Asch’s uninamity variation?

Answer 9

Conformity reduced to less than a quarter of the original level

Question 10

What were the conclusions of Asch’s uninamity variation?

Answer 10

A dissenting confederate enables the ppt to act independently

Question 11

What was the task difficulty variation of Asch’s study?

Answer 11

The lines were made similar so that it was more difficult to tell which ones matched

Question 12

What were the findings of Asch’s task difficulty variation?

Answer 12

Conformity increased

Question 13

What were the conclusions of Asch’s task difficulty variation?

Answer 13

When the situation is more ambiguous we are likely to look to others for guidance and assume that they are correct

Question 14

What was the limitation of Asch’s study that suggested that the tasks were artificial?

Answer 14

• Demand characteristics and no reason not to conform
• Fiske said groups didn’t reflect those of real life
• Findings can’t be generalised to everyday situations especially when consequences of conformity are important

Question 15

What did Fiske suggest as a limitation of Asch’s study?

Answer 15

The groups that Asch used didn’t reflect the characteristics of those in real life

Question 16

What was the limitation that suggested that Asch’s study has little application?

Answer 16

• Contain beta bias because only men were studied
• Neto suggested women may be more conformist because they care about social relationships and approval
• Assumed mens behaviour applies to women causing inaccurate results

Question 17

What type of gender bias is in Asch’s study?

Answer 17

Beta bias

Question 18

What did Neto suggest as a limitation of Asch’s study?

Answer 18

Women may be more conformist because they are more concerned about social relationships and approval

Question 19

What is the strength of Asch’s study that suggests that there is supporting evidence?

Answer 19

• Lucas et al asked ppts to solve easy and hard maths problems with answers falsely claimed to be from other students
• When problems were harder, more likely to conform
• Task difficulty variable is correct

Question 20

What did Lucas et al suggest as a strength of Asch’s study?

Answer 20

That people were most likely to conform to the ‘students answers’ when given difficult maths problems

Question 21

What is the debate of Asch’s study which suggests that there are ethical issues?

Answer 21

• No informed consent and ppts may have had a bad experience
• Could be justified bc of minimal harm and findings have wide range of application

Question 22

Who are the key thinkers of the topic ‘Asch’s conformity study’?

Answer 22

Asch
Fiske
Neto
Lucas et al

Question 23

What are the titles of each evaluation point of Asch’s conformity study?

Answer 23

• Artifical tasks and situation
• Little application due to gender bias
• Supporting evidence of task difficulty
• Ethical issues vs findings debate