Variables affecting conformity

• What was the aim of Asch's (1951) original conformity research?

  To see if participants conform to a majority in an unambiguous situation
• How many male American college students participated in Asch's study?

  123 male American college students
• What was the procedure of Asch's conformity research?

  • 123 male college students volunteered
  • Participants looked at two cards: one with a single vertical line and another with three lines
  • Participants called out which line matched the test line
  • One real participant was second from last; others were confederates
  • Confederates gave unanimous wrong answers on 12 of 18 trials (critical trials)
• How many trials were considered critical in Asch's study?

  12 critical trials
• What percentage of participants conformed to the incorrect answers on the critical trials?

  32% of participants conformed
• What percentage of participants conformed at least once during the study?

  74% of participants conformed at least once
• What were the two reasons participants gave for conforming in post-research interviews?

  Believing the confederates were correct and not wanting to be ridiculed or excluded
• What conclusions can be drawn from Asch's (1951) conformity research?

  • People conform to group pressure even in unambiguous situations
  • Reasons for conforming include:
  • Wanting to fit in
  • Wanting to be correct
• What did Asch investigate in his variations of conformity research?

  The extent to which different variables affect conformity
• What variables did Asch include in his conformity research?

  Group size, unanimity, and task difficulty
• How does group size affect conformity according to Asch's findings?

  Conformity rates increase with group size up to a majority of three
• What happens to conformity rates after a majority of three people?

  Conformity rates plateau despite increases in group size
• What does Asch's conclusion about group size suggest?

  A small majority is sufficient for majority influence to be exerted
• How did Asch vary unanimity in his research?

  By having one confederate give a different answer
• What was the effect on conformity rates when a confederate gave the correct answer?

  Conformity rates reduced from 32% to 5.5%
• What was the effect on conformity rates when a confederate gave a different incorrect answer?

  Conformity rates reduced to 9%
• What does the higher conformity rate in the original research suggest about unanimity?

  A unanimous majority exerts the most influence
• How does breaking the unanimity of the majority affect individuals' confidence?

  Individuals feel more confident in resisting pressures to conform
• How did Asch make the line judgment task more difficult?

  By making the stimulus line and comparison lines more similar in length
• What was the effect on conformity rates when the line judgment task was made more difficult?

  Conformity rates increased
• Why do conformity rates increase in ambiguous tasks?

  Participants are more likely to look to the majority for guidance
• What did Asch investigate in his research on conformity?

  Variables affecting conformity such as group size, unanimity, and task difficulty
• How did Asch vary group size in his conformity research?

  By changing the number of confederates in the line judgement task
• What was the effect of increasing group size on conformity rates according to Asch's findings?

  Conformity rates increased with group size but plateaued after a majority of 3 people
• What did Asch find when he investigated unanimity in his conformity research?

  Conformity rates decreased significantly when a confederate gave a correct answer
• What were the conformity rates when a confederate gave a correct answer?

  1. 5%
• What were the conformity rates when a confederate gave an incorrect answer?

  9%
• How did Asch manipulate task difficulty in his research?

  By making the comparison lines more similar in length to the stimulus line
• What was the relationship between task difficulty and conformity rates in Asch's findings?

  As task difficulty increased, conformity rates also increased
• What are the explanations for why people conform based on group size, task difficulty, and unanimity?

  • Group size: Greater normative social influence due to pressure to fit in
  • Task difficulty: Greater informational social influence as correct answers become ambiguous
  • Unanimity: Both normative and informational social influence due to pressure to fit in and perceived correctness
• What is a strength of Asch's research into variables affecting conformity?

  It provides insights into why people conform
• How did Asch ensure high control in his variations of conformity research?

  By systematically altering one variable at a time while keeping other procedures constant
• Why is high control in Asch's research considered a strength?

  It increases confidence in establishing cause and effect relationships
• What percentage of participants in Asch's original research never conformed?

  26%
• What limitation does the 26% non-conformity rate highlight about unanimity as a variable affecting conformity?

  It suggests that unanimity may have little influence on some people's behavior
• How does the need for affiliation (nAffiliators) affect conformity according to the research?

  People who are more concerned about being liked are more likely to conform to group size
• What are the strengths and limitations of the nomothetic approach in studying conformity?


  Strengths:

  • Provides generalizable findings across populations
  • Helps identify common patterns in behavior

  
  

  Limitations:

  • May overlook individual differences
  • Not suitable for all contexts of conformity
• Why is an idiographic approach important in studying conformity?

  It considers individual differences that may affect conformity behavior