Variables Affecting Conformity

Question 1

What are the three variables affecting conformity?

Answer 1

• Task difficulty
• Group size
• Unanimity

Question 2

What are VAC?

Answer 2

Asch investigated facts which influence conformity by changing the procedure

Question 3

Task difficulty

Answer 3

When comparison lines were made more similar, conformity increased

Question 4

Group size

Answer 4

• As group size increases, conformity increases to a certain point where it plateaus
• Little conformity when majority was 1 or 2 people, but majority of three increased to 30%
• Further increases did not affect conformity
• Giving a specific answer puts pressure on the person, may be convinced the group are right

Question 5

Unanimity

Answer 5

• Increased conformity as people are less likely to want to stand out
• When one confederate gave the right answer, conformity dropped from 33% to 5.5%
• When a confederate gave a different but incorrect answer, conformity was at 9%

Question 6

Culture bias (evaluation)

Answer 6

• Findings don’t apply cross culturally, conformity rates differ
• Higher in collectivist cultures

Question 7

Controlled lab setting (evaluation)

Answer 7

• Lacks external validity/ecological validity
• Demand characteristics
• However high internal control/standardised procedures makes them scientific

Question 8

Nomothetic (evaluation)

Answer 8

• Conformity is a nomothetic concept (general principle)
• Doesn’t account for individual differences (e.g nAffiliators are more likely to conform)