Asch’s Study Flashcards
(13 cards)
1
Q
When was Asch’s conformity study?
A
1951
2
Q
What was the aim?
A
Whether people conform to a group even when they know they are wrong
3
Q
Who were the pps?
A
123 male American undergrads
4
Q
Procedure
A
Estimate which of three comparison lines was the same length as the target line
5
Q
How big were the groups?
A
- 6-8 people, all confederates except 1 real pp
- Real pp positioned last
6
Q
What is a neutral trial?
A
Confederate answered correctly
7
Q
What is a critical trial?
A
Confederates answered incorrectly
8
Q
How many trials were there?
A
- 18 in total
- 12 critical, 6 neutral
9
Q
Findings
A
- Conformity rate of 33%
- 1/3 agreed with the incorrect answer
10
Q
Individual differences
A
- 25% didn’t conform
- 5% always conformed
- 50% conformed on 6 or more trials
11
Q
Artificial nature (evaluation)
A
- Lab experiment: lacks external validity/ecological validity
- Demand characteristics
- However: high internal validity/standardised procedures/replicability
12
Q
Culture bias (evaluation)
A
- Western (American)
- Specific social background (undergrads)
- Findings don’t apply cross culturally, conformity rates differ (higher than in collectivist cultures)
- Nomothetic: doesn’t account for individual differences
13
Q
Gender bias (evaluation)
A
- Only men used
- Beta bias (assume it applies to both genders, downplays differences)
