Variables affecting conformity Flashcards
Who studied variables affecting conformity and when did they study it?
Solomon Asch, 1956.
How did Solomon Asch investigate variables affecting conformity?
Lab study w/ 123 white male undergrads. Groups of 1 naïve participant, 5-6 confederates. Asked to state which line (out of 3) was same size as given line (easy). 12/18 critical tasks where confederates say the same wrong answer.
What variations did Asch have in his procedure?
Increased task difficulty
Broke unanimity
Changed group size
Written answers
Control
What did Asch find in his normal conditions?
Participants confirmed 33% of the time on average. 75% conformed at least once. 5% conformed every time.
What factors did Asch find affect conformity?
Group size
Unanimity of majority
Task difficulty
Peel paragraph for effect of group size on conformity.
More likely to conform in a larger group.
Low conformity rate when less than 3, rose to 30% with 3 or more. Did not increase much past 4.
Increased confidence in group, decreased confidence in own answer.
Majority (not necessarily overwhelming) must be 3 for influence.
Peel paragraph - the effect of unanimity of majority on conformity.
More likely to conform in unanimous group.
With additional naive P or disaffected confed, conformity fell to 5.5%.
More confidence in group less confident in self.
Unanimity is vital - especially for normative SI.
Peel paragraph for task difficulty’s effect on conformity.
More likely to conform with a more difficult task.
Conformity increased when lines more similar in length.
More uncertain in answer, relies on group opinion.
Task difficulty very important in informative SI.
(AO3) What is a strength of the methodology used by Asch?
Strict control over extraneous variables - high internal validity. For example, control condition produced just 1% conformity. Removes eyesight as extraneous variable. Easier to establish causality - confidence in result.
(AO3) Describe strengths and weaknesses of using a lab study in this experiment.
Strengths: High control of variables. Easy to replicate. High internal validity.
Weaknesses: mundane realism, ecological & external validity. Does not reflect reality of complex conformity.
(AO3) Discuss ethical issues with Asch’s line study.
Breached BPS guidelines of deception and ability to give informed consent. Participants were debriefed after. Ethics do not affect validity or reliability, but cost-benefit analysis is needed.
(AO3) Why may Asch’s study be a ‘child of its time’?
1956: McCarthyism - strong anti-communist period where people were scared to go against majority, more likely to conform. Follow up study in the UK later found far lower conformity rates. Conformity more likely when costs of standing out are high - study may not be as applicable now = temporal validity.
