Social Influence: Variables affecting conformity Flashcards
What was the key study for variables affecting conformity?
Asch’s line study (1951)
What was the aim of Asch’s line study?
To investigate if people will conform to a majority, even when there’s an obvious answer.
What was the procedure of Asch’s line study?
123 American white, male undergraduates.
Split into groups of 5-6 confederates (told how to act by the researcher and 1 naïve ppt.
All ppts had to answer OUT LOUD which of 3 lines matched a control line.
The answer was obvious.
There were 18 trials and on 12 of the ‘critical trials’ the confederates all gave the SAME wrong answer. The real ppt gave their answer second to last.
What were the findings of Asch’s line study?
ppts conformed 33% of the time.
75% conformed at least once
5% conformed every time.
What was the conclusion of Asch’s line study?
People will conform to a majority even if that majority is wrong.
After the experiment further interviews showed that ppts conformed in order to fit in (normative social influence)
What were the 3 variables affecting conformity?
Group size
Unanimity
Task difficulty
How was group size investigated + what were the findings?
Individuals are more likely to conform in a larger group of confederates.
There was a low conformity rate when there were less than 3 confederates.
This rose to a 30% conformity rate with 3 or more confederates this didn’t increase much past 4.
This is because the individual has increased confidence in a group and decreased confidence in their own answer.
The majority doesn’t have to be overwhelming but must be 3 for influence.
How was unanimity investigated + what were the findings?
Individuals are more likely to conform in an unanimous group.
Rather than 6 confederates in agreement Asch used 5 confederates giving the same wrong answer and 1 confederate gave the correct answer.
Conformity decreased to 6% as there’s not as much pressure to conform. Thus, showing that unanimity is vital especially for normative social influence.
How was task difficulty investigated + what were the findings?
Individuals are more likely to conform with a more difficult task.
Conformity increased when the lines are more similar length.
Suggesting that the more uncertain an individual is about an answer the more they rely on the group opinion.
Therefore, also demonstrating the importance of task difficulty on informational social influence.
What are the 4 AO3 points variables affecting conformity?
+methodology
+/- lab study
- ethical issues
-lack of historical validity
(+AO3) How is the methodology of the line study a strength?
Strict control over extraneous variables causing high internal validity. For example, control condition produced just 1% conformity. This removes eyesight as an extraneous variable. Therefore it’s easier to establish causality and providing confidence in the results.
(+/- AO3) How is Asch’s study being a lab study both a strength and a weakness?
Strengths: high control of variables + easy to replicate, which improves the internal validity.
Weaknesses: mundane realism, low ecological and external validity and therefore, doesn’t reflect the reality of complex conformity.
(-AO3) What are the ethical issues in Asch’s line study?
Breached BPS guidelines of deception and ability to give informed consent. Ppts were debriefed after. However the ethics doesn’t affect the validity of reliability of the study, but cost-benefit analysis is needed.
(-AO3) How does Asch’s study lack historical validity?
Asch’s study is criticised for being a ‘child of its time.’
For example, Asch’s study was conducted in America in the 1950’s in the era of McCarthyism (a feeling of strong Anti-Communist feeling in America) when people were scared to be different.
The study can then be criticised for lacking ecological validity as the findings are unique to a particular culture and time therefore, the findings may not be reflective of the current time.
