variables affecting conformity Flashcards
What was the aim of Asch’s baseline study?
To investigate conformity in an unambiguous task.
How many participants were in Asch’s baseline study?
123 male US undergraduate students.
What task did participants complete in Asch’s study?
Identifying which line matched a standard line.
Where did the real participant sit in Asch’s study?
Second to last in the order of responses.
What percentage of participants conformed in Asch’s study?
33.3%.
What type of conformity does Asch’s study support?
Compliance.
Why did participants conform in Asch’s study?
To avoid disapproval from the group.
What happened when only one confederate was present?
Conformity was minimal (3%).
What was the conformity rate with two confederates?
12.8%.
What was the conformity rate with three confederates?
0.3
What happened when the group size exceeded three confederates?
No further increase in conformity.
What does Asch’s group size variation suggest?
Conformity increases to a point but then plateaus.
What is unanimity in Asch’s study?
When all confederates gave the same answer.
What happened when a dissenter gave a different wrong answer?
Conformity dropped to 9%.
What happened when a dissenter gave the correct answer?
Conformity dropped to 5%.
What does Asch’s unanimity variation suggest?
Dissenters reduce conformity pressure.
What effect did increasing task difficulty have?
Conformity increased.
Why did conformity increase with task difficulty?
The task became more ambiguous
What type of influence explains increased conformity in hard tasks?
Informational social influence (ISI).
What study supports the effect of task difficulty?
Lucas et al (2006).
What did Lucas et al’s study involve?
Math problems of varying difficulty.
What did Lucas et al find?
Greater conformity in difficult tasks
What does Lucas et al’s study support?
ISI as an explanation for conformity.
What is a limitation of Asch’s study regarding time period?
The study may lack temporal validity.
What did Perrin and Spencer find in their replication of Asch’s study?
Only one student conformed in 396 trials.
Why might conformity have been higher in Asch’s study than Perrin and Spencer’s?
The 1950s was a highly conformist time.
What historical event may have influenced Asch’s results?
McCarthyism — a period of political paranoia.
Why might Perrin and Spencer’s results differ from Asch’s due to participant type?
Their sample consisted of engineering students.
What characteristic of engineering students may have reduced conformity?
Greater confidence in problem-solving.
What is a limitation of Asch’s sample?
It was androcentric (all male).
What did Neto (1995) suggest about gender differences in conformity?
Women may be more conformist than men.
What did Bond and Smith (1996) find about cultural differences in conformity?
Conformity was higher in collectivist cultures.
What does Bond and Smith’s study suggest about Asch’s findings?
Conformity may vary by cultural norms.
What is a methodological issue with Asch’s study?
The artificial task lacked mundane realism.
Why does Asch’s study lack ecological validity?
The line-judgment task does not reflect real-life conformity.
Why should Asch’s results be generalized with caution?
Real-life conformity situations are often more complex.
Give an example of real-life conformity situations.
Peer pressure to join gangs or drink alcohol.
What does Asch’s study demonstrate about independent behavior?
67% of participants resisted group pressure.
What did Griggs (2015) criticize about how Asch’s study is presented?
It emphasizes conformity over independence.
Why might Asch’s study actually highlight independence?
Most participants resisted pressure in the trials.
What is the “Asch effect”?
The tendency to conform in an unambiguous situation.
What type of conformity did Asch’s study demonstrate?
Compliance.
What was the main reason participants conformed in Asch’s study?
To avoid social disapproval.
How does the presence of a dissenter reduce conformity?
It provides social support.
Why does task difficulty increase conformity?
People look to others for guidance when unsure.
What does ISI explain about conformity?
People conform to be correct in uncertain situations.
What does NSI explain about conformity?
People conform to fit in and avoid rejection.
Which type of conformity is linked to ISI?
Internalisation.
Which type of conformity is linked to NSI?
Compliance.
What cultural factor increases conformity?
Living in a collectivist society.
What is a criticism of Asch’s focus on male participants?
It ignores potential gender differences in conformity.
What is a key takeaway from Asch’s research?
People are often independent despite social pressure.
