variables affecting conformity

Question 1

asch experiment- aim

Answer 1

To investigate the extent to which social pressure from a majority group could lead a person to conform, even when the correct answer was obvious.

Question 2

asch experiment- procedure

Answer 2

10 male students- 1 was actual ppt, others were confederates. Shown a standard line and 3 comparison lines, asked to match correctly.
Confederates gave wrong answers on 12/18 trials.
Measured if the real participant conformed to the majority.

Question 3

asch experiment- findings

Answer 3

5% ppts conformed to all 12 wrong answers.
75% ppts conformed to at least 1 wrong answer.
control group had error rate of 0.04.

Question 4

group size

Answer 4

1 confederate= 3% conformity rate
2 confederates= 13% conformity rate
3 confederates= 33% conformity rate

Question 5

unanimity

Answer 5

When a confederate disagreed with the majority, conformity rates dropped to 5.5%. This shows that social support can help individuals resist pressure to conform, as it provides confidence to act independently.

Question 6

task difficulty

Answer 6

smaller diff with line length (Asch exp)= conformity increased

Question 7

strength- high internal validity

Answer 7

Asch’s study was conducted in a controlled lab setting using standardised procedures, which means variables were carefully managed and the study can be easily replicated. This enhances the reliability of the results and allows researchers to test the findings across different groups and settings to ensure consistency.

Question 8

weakness- lacks temporal validity

Answer 8

Perrin & Spencer’s replication of Asch’s study with British students found much lower conformity, with only 1 trial showing conformity. They suggested that high conformity in Asch’s original study could have been influenced by cultural conditions during the Cold War, and that an increase in individualism may explain the difference in results.

Question 9

weakness- lacks mundane realism

Answer 9

Matching line lengths is a simple and highly controlled task, which helps isolate conformity and minimise extraneous variables. However, the task’s artificial nature reduces ecological validity, as it doesn’t replicate real-life situations where conformity pressures are more complex and less obvious.

Question 10

Weakness – Asch’s study was culturally biased.

Answer 10

Asch’s study used an American, male sample from an individualistic culture, which limits its population validity. The results may not generalise to people from different cultures, genders, or social groups, particularly those from collectivist cultures where conformity pressures may be stronger.