Asch

• What are some areas where social influence processes play a part?

  Sales, marketing, peer pressure, socialisation
• How is social influence defined?

  Change in behavior caused by others' presence
• What are the three elements of social influence mentioned?

  Conformity, obedience, minority influence
• What is conformity in social influence?

  • Changing behavior due to group pressure
  • Often occurs in social settings
• What is obedience in social influence?

  • Following a direct order or command
  • Can occur in hierarchical situations
• What is minority influence in social influence?

  • Smaller group influencing the majority view
  • Can lead to social change over time
• Who devised the baseline procedure for studying conformity?

  Solomon Asch
• What was the aim of Asch's baseline procedure?

  To assess extent of conformity in unambiguous situations
• How many American male participants were tested in Asch's study?

  123 participants
• What did participants see during the trials in Asch's study?

  Two large white cards with lines
• What was the structure of the lines shown to participants?

  One standard line and three comparison lines
• What was the task given to participants in Asch's study?

  Identify which comparison line matched the standard line
• How were the participants arranged in Asch's study?

  Groups of 6-8 with one genuine participant
• What role did confederates play in Asch's study?

  They gave the same incorrect answers each time
• What was the average conformity rate found in Asch's study?

  36.8% of the time
• What percentage of participants conformed at least once in Asch's study?

  75% of participants
• What percentage of participants never conformed in Asch's study?

  25% of participants
• Why did participants conform in Asch's experiment?

  Fear of ridicule or being thought peculiar
• What was the conformity rate in Asch's study?

  36.8%
• What percentage of participants conformed at least once?

  75%
• What variables did Asch investigate that affect conformity?

  Group size, unanimity, and task difficulty
• What is the relationship between group size and conformity according to Asch's findings?

  • Conformity increases with group size
  • Significant increase up to three confederates
  • Levels off with more than three confederates
• What effect did the presence of a non-conforming confederate have on conformity rates?

  It decreased conformity rates significantly
• How did task difficulty affect conformity in Asch's study?

  Increased difficulty led to higher conformity
• What type of social influence is suggested by Asch's findings when the task is difficult?

  Informational social influence
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Asch's study?

  Strengths:

  • High control and reliability
  • Variations tested specific variables

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Low ecological validity
  • Limited application to other groups
• What was a significant limitation regarding the sample used in Asch's study?

  Participants were all American males
• How did Lucas et al's research support Asch's findings?

  Participants conformed more on harder problems
• What did Perrin and Spencer's study reveal about conformity compared to Asch's findings?

  Lower levels of conformity in their study
• What ethical issue was present in Asch's study?

  Participants were deceived about the study's purpose
• Why might Asch's use of deception be justified?

  To observe true conformity behavior
• What are the implications of Asch's findings on conformity in modern society?

  • Conformity may vary over time
  • Cultural differences affect conformity
  • Gender differences in conformity may exist
• What did Asch's study primarily investigate?

  The effects of group pressure on conformity
• What does a curvilinear relationship between group size and conformity indicate?

  Conformity increases with group size, then levels off
• How does the presence of a dissenter affect a naive participant's behavior?

  It encourages more independent behavior
• What is the significance of the term 'unanimity' in Asch's study?

  Unanimous agreement increases conformity likelihood
• What was the main task participants had to perform in Asch's study?

  Identify which line matched the standard line
• What does the term 'ecological validity' refer to in the context of Asch's study?

  The extent to which findings apply to real life
• How did Asch's study contribute to our understanding of social influence?

  It highlighted the power of group pressure
• What is the implication of Asch's findings for understanding conformity in different cultures?

  Conformity may vary significantly across cultures