asch and factors effecting conformity

Question 1

participants in Asch’s study

Answer 1

• 123 males
• in groups of 6
• 1 true participant and 5 confederates

Question 2

aim of ashs study

Answer 2

To investigate conformity and majority influence

Question 3

procedure of ashs study

Answer 3

• Participants were presented with 4 lines
• 3 comparison lines and 1 standard line
• asked to state which line was the same length as the standard line
• real participant always answered last
• Confeds would give the same incorrect answer for 12/18
  trials
• Asch observed how often the participant would conform

Question 4

findings of aschs study

Answer 4

37% conformed
25% never conformed
75% conformed at least once

Question 5

factors effecting level of conformity

Answer 5

• group size
• unanimity of majoirty
• task difficulty

Question 6

strengths of aschs study

Answer 6

High internal validity > strict control over variables.
The participants did the experiment before without confederates to see if they actually knew the correct answer thus removing the confounding variable of a
lack of knowledge.

Lab experiment > variables are strictly controlled meaning that replication of the experiment is easy.this increases the reliability of the findings because it reduces the
likelihood that the observed findings were a ‘one-off’.

Supports normative social influence > participants said they conformed to fit in with the group > supports the idea of NSI

Question 7

limitations

Answer 7

Lacks ecological validity > it was based on peoples’ perception of lines and so the findings cannot be generalised to real life as it does not reflect
the complexity of real life conformity

Lacks population validity > the participants were only American males and so the study had gender bias. findings from male participants can not be generalised to females.

Ethical issues > The researchers breached the ethical guideline of deception and consequently, the ability to give informed consent. However, the participants were debriefed.

Lacked validity > The social context of the 1950s may have affected results > Perrin and Spencer criticised the study stating that the period that the experiment was conducted in influenced the results > it was an anti-Communist period > people were more scared to be different > lack temporal validity because findings cannot be generalised across all time periods.