Evaluation

• Strengths

  • Lucas - asked students to give answers to math problems that were easy or difficult. There was a greater conformity to incorrect answers when it was difficult showing that confusing situations led to them relying on others
  • Asch - found many Ppts conformed rather than give the correct answer because they were afraid of disproval when Comparing the length of lines. When asked to report privately conformity fell to 12.5%
• Weaknesses

  • McGhee - found that students who were nAffiliators (people who have a strong need for affiliation) were more likely to conform showing that individual differences in personality aren’t explained
  • Asch- found the presence of a dissenter (people with opinions against the group) may reduce the power of normal and informative social influence as they have at least one person to share views with