asch's line study

Question 1

aim

Answer 1

to invetigate which social pressures from a majority would affect a person to conform

Question 2

method

Answer 2

• 123 male students who thought they were taking part in a vision test
• One real participant in a room with several confederates
• Confederates would give wrong answers to see if real participant would conform

Question 3

findings

Answer 3

• On average, participants conformed to 32% of critical trials
• 74% of participants conformed to ar least one critical trial
• 26% never conformed
• A control group found that less than 1% gave incorrect answers

Question 4

conclusion

Answer 4

• Participants said they knew their answers were incorrect but went along with the group to fit in or to avoid being ridiculed by the others
• This confirms NSI as an explanation for conformity

Question 5

variations - group size
- Asch varied number of confederates from 1 to 15

Answer 5

• 1 confederate = 3% level of conformity
• 2 confederates = 12.8% level of conformity
• 3 confederates = 32% level of conformity

Question 6

variations - unanimity of majority
- Asch instructed 1 confederate to go against the majority and give the correct answer

Answer 6

• Conformity rates dropped to only 5 %
• Shows that when participant had support for their belief, they were more likely to resist pressure to conform

Question 7

variations - task difficulty
- task was made more difficult

Answer 7

• Conformity rates increased
• Shows that when a task is more difficult, conformity is more likely

Question 8

• Study is crtisised due to ______ sample of only ____ ________.
• Is an issue because research suggests __________ _____ are higher in ____________ _________ (china).
• Asch’s research took place at a time when conformity rates were arguably ______ and recent ____________ show different results.
• This ______ the extent to which findings can be ___________.

Answer 8

• (biased) (male students)
• (conformity rates) (collectivist societies)
• (higher) (replications)
• (limits) (generalised)

Question 9

• Asch used ____________ procedures and methods used were considered ________.
• As a leb experiment, there was a good control over __________ variables e.g. number of ____________ and _______.
• Asch identified and isolated variables ___________ _________.
• This shows that it is possible to make __________ on cause and effect and that ____ ________ affects conformity rates.

Answer 9

• (standardised) (reliable)
• (extraneous) (confederates) (seating)
• (influencing conformity)
• (inferences) (size majority)