Asch Conformity

• What were the variables affecting conformity investigated by Asch?

  Group size, unanimity, and task difficulty
• How many participants were involved in Asch's study?

  123 male American undergraduates
• What was the aim of Asch's study?

  To investigate conformity and majority influence
• What procedure did participants follow in Asch's study?

  Participants stated which of three lines matched the length of a standard line
• How did the confederates behave during the trials in Asch's study?

  They gave the same incorrect answer for 12 out of 18 trials
• What percentage of participants conformed in Asch's study?

  36.8%
• What percentage of participants never conformed in Asch's study?

  25%
• What was the significance of the control trial in Asch's study?

  It showed that only 1% of responses were incorrect, increasing validity
• What factors affect the level of conformity according to Asch's study?

  • Size of majority/group size
  • Unanimity of majority
  • Task difficulty
• How does group size affect conformity?

  An individual is more likely to conform in a larger group
• What happens to conformity when the group size is less than three?

  There is low conformity
• What is the optimal group size for conformity according to Asch's findings?

  Four members
• How does unanimity affect conformity?

  Conformity increases when the group is unanimous
• What was the effect on conformity when another participant gave the correct answer?

  Conformity fell from 32% to 5.5%
• How does task difficulty influence conformity?

  Conformity increases when the task is difficult
• What happens to conformity when comparison lines are made more similar in length?

  Conformity increases
• What is the role of informational social influence in conformity?

  It occurs when individuals look to others for confirmation in ambiguous situations
• What are the strengths of Asch's study?


  • High internal validity due to control over extraneous variables
  • Easy replication due to lab experiment design
  • Supports normative social influence findings
• What are the weaknesses of Asch's study?

  • Lacks ecological validity
  • Lacks population validity due to sampling issues
  • Ethical issues including deception and potential psychological harm
• What ethical guideline did Asch's study breach?

  Deception and informed consent
• How did the social context of the 1950s affect Asch's study results?

  It may have influenced results due to anti-Communist sentiments
• Who criticized Asch's study for lacking temporal validity?

  Perrin and Spencer
• What is the significance of a cost-benefit analysis in evaluating ethical issues in research?

  It assesses whether the ethical costs are smaller than the benefits of knowledge gained