Factors affecting conformity

Question 1

Asch (1956) key study procedure:

Answer 1

• PP were told it was a visual discrimination task
• Small groups of 7-9 people
• Had to publicly say which of three lines shown matched a ‘standard line’
• Actually only one participant as the rest were confederates
• Real pp always answered second to last
• Eighteen trials with different line lengths

Question 2

Asch (1956) key study findings:

Answer 2

• 123 Male American PP’s
• In 12 critical trials, 36.8% responses from true pp’s were incorrect
• Conformed to incorrect response
• In another trial, there was no confederates and only 1% of people made mistakes

Question 3

Why did people conform in Asch’s 1956 line study?

Answer 3

• Distortion of perception: Small number of pp’s saw the lines in the same way as the majority
• Distortion of judgement: Unsure of their own judgement
• Distortion of action: Most continued thinking privately but publicly changed their answer to avoid disapproval

Question 4

What three factors can affect conformity?

Answer 4

• Difficulty of task
• Majority of people
• Confederates giving the right answer

Question 5

Difficulty of the task:

Answer 5

• The line lengths were closer together making the task harder
• Influenced by situational factors and individual differences

Question 6

Size of majority:

Answer 6

• little conformity when only one or two more people
• under the pressure of majority of three, conformity increased to 30%
• Although, further increases doesn’t increase conformity levels

Question 7

Unanimity of majority:

Answer 7

• All confederates gave wrong answer
• The one gave the right answer
• Conformity dropped considerably
• Breaking group’s consensus was a main influence of conformity