Variables affecting conformity as investigated by Asch Flashcards
What was the aim of Asch’s study?
To investigate conformity and majority influence.
How many participants were involved in Asch’s study?
123 male American undergraduates in groups of 6; consisting of 1 true participant and 5 confederates.
What procedure did participants follow in Asch’s study?
Participants and confederates were presented with 4 lines; 3 comparison lines and 1 standard line. They were asked to state which of the three lines was the same length as the stimulus line.
What were the findings of Asch’s study regarding conformity?
36.8% conformed, 25% never conformed, and 75% conformed at least once.
What was the control trial result in Asch’s study?
In a control trial, only 1% of responses given by participants were incorrect.
How does group size affect conformity?
An individual is more likely to conform when in a larger group. Conformity rose by 30% with more than 3 confederates.
What is the optimal group size for conformity according to Asch’s findings?
The optimal group size is considered to be at least 3 but not more than 4.
How does unanimity of the majority affect conformity?
Conformity is higher when the group is unanimous. When joined by another participant or disaffected confederate who gave the correct answer, conformity fell from 32% to 5.5%.
How does task difficulty influence conformity?
An individual is more likely to conform when the task is difficult. Asch found that making the comparison lines more similar increased conformity.
What are the strengths of Asch’s study?
High internal validity due to control over extraneous variables, easy replication due to lab experiment, and supports normative social influence.
What are the weaknesses of Asch’s study?
Lacks ecological validity, lacks population validity due to sampling issues, and ethical concerns regarding deception and potential psychological harm.
What ethical issues were present in Asch’s study?
Deception regarding the study’s true aims and potential psychological harm to participants.
What criticism did Perrin and Spencer have regarding Asch’s study?
They criticized the study for lacking temporal validity due to the social context of the 1950s influencing results.
