A03

• P: A limitation of Asch's research is the artificiality of the task and situation.

  E: Pcts were aware they were part of a study and might have adjusted their behaviour accordingly. Fiske (2014) also noted that the groups in Asch's study were not representative of real-life groups.

  E: This suggests that demand characteristics could have influenced participant responses, and an unimportant task (comparing line) might have encouraged conformity.

  L: Therefore, the findings may not be applicable to real-world situations where the consequences of conformity are significant.
• Point: Another limitation is that Asch's sample consisted solely of American men.

  Evidence: Neto (1995) indicates that women may exhibit higher levels of conformity due to social concerns. Additionally, cultural differences in individualism versus collectivism influence conformity.

  Explain: This implies that Asch's findings cannot be generalised to women or individuals from collectivist cultures.

  Link: Hence, there's limited insight into how conformity varies across genders and cultures, diminishing the study's broader applicability.
• Point: A strength of Asch's research lies in the support from other studies regarding the impact of task difficulty on conformity.

  Evidence: Lucas (2006) demonstrated that participants conformed more on difficult tasks, when participants were asked to solve easy and hard maths problems.

  Explain: This indicates the validity of Asch's assertion that task difficulty influences conformity.

  Link: Consequently, understanding this aspect of conformity contributes to a more comprehensive grasp of social influence dynamics, enhancing the relevance of Asch's work.
• Point: However, Lucas et al.'s study revealed complexities not explored by Asch, indicating a limitation.

  Evidence: Individuals with high confidence in their abilities showed less conformity on difficult tasks compared to those with lower confidence levels.

  Explain: This suggests that individual-level factors interact with situational variables to influence conformity, a dimension not addressed by Asch.

  Link: Thus, while Asch's findings are valuable, they offer only a partial understanding of conformity, prompting further exploration into the interplay of individual and situational factors.