Conformity - Asch

Question 1

Who did the “Three Lines” Experiment?

Answer 1

Asch (1951-1955)

Question 2

What experiment did Asch carry out?

Answer 2

The “Three Lines” Experiment

Question 3

What was the operationalised method of Asch’s “Three Lines” Experiment?

Answer 3

• 6-8 per group, all confederates but one volunteer
• N = 123 volunteers
• Finds the right length of line (X) out of 3 lines (A,B,C)
• Confederates go before the volunteer and choose the wrong answer

Question 4

What were the results of Asch’s “Three Lines” Experiment?

Answer 4

• 75% conformed at least once; 25% didn’t conform
• naive participants gave wrong answers 36.8% of the time

Question 5

What did the results of Asch’s “Three Lines” Experiment suggest?

Answer 5

People conform due to Compliance

Question 6

What factors influence conformity?

Answer 6

Situational factors and Dispositional Factors (personality, confidence etc.)

Question 7

How did Asch test the influence of situational factors on conformity?

Answer 7

He changed:
* Group Size (only influences to a certain point)
* Unanimity/social support with a dissenter (more likely to stay uninfluenced)
* Task difficulty (Conformity increased due to ISI)

Question 8

True or False: Asch’s “Three Lines” Experiment was ethical.

Answer 8

False

Question 9

What ethical issues did Asch’s “Three Lines” Experiment have?

Answer 9

• Sex bias, male participants only because of misogyny
• Decieved participants
• No consequences
• Undergrads only; not all age groups

Question 10

What is the Hawthorne Effect?

Answer 10

It is a tendency in some individuals to alter behaviour in response to being observed/the awareness of being observed

Question 11

What evaluations against Asch are there?

Answer 11

• Perrin & Spencer (1980): Conformity test with Engineering Uni students; Results suggest ppl more likely to conform to social norms, Asch’s study lacks Temporal Validity, Cannot be Generalised
• Eagly & Carli (1981): Meta-analysis; Results suggest sex differences were inconsistent, group pressure from audiences affected conformity, different social roles affects conformity (women more concerned with group harmony, men more concerned with assertiveness and independence)

Question 12

What are the two types of cultures and which has higher conformity rates?

Answer 12

Individualistic Cultures (personal goals), Collectivist Cultures (collective goals); Collectivist Cultures have higher conformity rates