SOCIAL - Studies Flashcards
Study into conformity on an unambiguous task
Asch
Asch: Method
- Lab exp with independent groups design
- In groups ppts had to judge the distance of lines and say which matched the standard line
- Other group members were confederates
- Each ppt did 18 trials in 12 the confederates gave the incorrect answer
- There was a control group were ppts judged the line in isolation
Asch: Results
Control group: gave wrong answer 0.7% of the time
Critical trials: gave wrong answer 37% of the time and 75% conformed at least once
Ppts said they didn’t believe their answers but didn’t want to stand out
Asch: Conclusion
Control condition showed task was easy enough to get right
However a significant amount gave the wrong answer
The ppts showed normative social influence
Asch: Evaluation
lab exp = high control over variables
Study lacks ecological validity
They may have been less/more likely to conform in a real life situation
Ethics= ppts were deceived
Sherif: Method
lab exp with repeated measures
Used the optical illusion ‘autokinetic effect’
Ppts were falsely told the researcher would move the light
1st phase individuals made repeated estimates
2nd phase had ppts put into groups of three where they would reach a group estimate of how far the light moved
Sherif: Results
When alone ppts developed their own stable estimates
When in a group the estimates converged and became more alike
When asked to give an individual estimate after being the group it has altered from their original guess to be more like the group estimate
Sherif: Conclusion
People were influenced by the estimates of other people and a group norm developed
People wanted to be right which lead to informational social influence
Sherif: Evaluation
Lab exp= high control of variables
Possible to establish a cause and effect relationship
Lacks ecological validity
Repeated measures means ppt variables were kept constant
How might changes over time impacts Asch’s study
conducted in 1950s America when there was a fear of communism.
People were afraid of stepping out of line and appearing different
This may have caused high levels of conformity
Crutchfield: Method
5 participants next to each to each other in individual booths with lights and switches in front of them. One set of lights indicated the supposed responses of the other 4 participants. The switches provided the participants with the means of giving their own responses. They were presented with slides containing multiple choice questions. The participants always had to give their response last, having already seen the supposed responses of the other 4.
Crutchfield: Results
46% conforming to the incorrect majority response when asked to compare the size of a circle and a star - the circle being much larger
As tasks got harder conformity levels increased
Crutchfield: Conclusion
Ppts were influence my informational social influence
Crutchfield: Evaluation
17% of the participants indicated they knew what was going on and were aware of the deception. Crutchfield did not comment on how this might have affected the results.
Which study shows minority influence?
Moscovici
Moscovici: Method
32 groups of six female participants are told they’re taking part in a study on perception.
Each group presented with 36 blue slides differing in intensity of shade and are asked to say its coulour.
2 ppts were stooges and answered in one of two ways:
They always say the slides are green
They say the slides are green on two thirds of occasions.
Moscovici: Results
When the stooges say ‘green’ every time: 8% of the majority agree
When the stooges are less consistent this falls to 1.25%
32% of participants conformed with the minority at least once
Moscovici: Conclusion
consistency is vital for minority influence to occur.
If the minority consistently give the same answer they are more likely to sway a majority.
Moscovici: Evaluation
- Lacks ecological validity
- Lacks population validity
- High control of variables
