Variables affecting conformity

• Identify the 3 variables found to affect conformity.

  Group size, unanimity and task difficulty
• Outline asch's research into group size affecting conformity

  In Asch’s group size variation, Asch varied the number of confederates in the line judgement task from 1-15. He found that conformity rates increased with group size but only up until a majority of 3. A small group is therefore enough to influence conformity.
• Asch's research into unanimity variations affecting conformity

  In Asch’s unanimity variations, Asch instructed one of the confederates to 1) give a different incorrect answer to the rest of the confederates or 2) give the correct answer. He found that breaking the unanimity of the majority/confederates led to reduced conformity rates (regardless of whether the correct answer was provided).
• Asch's research into difficulty variation affecting conformity

  In Asch’s task difficulty variation, Asch made the line judgement task more difficult by making the line lengths more similar. He found that conformity rates increased when the task was more difficult. 
• strength of Asch's research into variables affecting conformity provided information as to why people conform

  he finding that a larger group increases conformity rates can be explained by normative social influence. This is because there would be more pressure to fit in with larger groups as there is an increased potential of being excluded/ridiculed. The finding that a more difficult task increases conformity could explained by informational social influence. because a more difficult task would create more pressure to look to the group for guidance to avoid the embarrassment of being wrong.
• The finding that breaking unanimity reduces conformity rates could be explained by both normative and informational social influence

  This is because a unanimous majority creates more pressure to fit in (as explained by NSI) but also the fact the majority all agree indicates they are more likely to be correct and so creates more pressure to conform to be right (as explained by ISI). Therefore adds credibility.
• strength is that there was a high level of control in Asch's variations

  This is because Asch altered one variable at a time (e.g. task difficulty) while keeping everything else the same (e.g. same number of confederates) to see what effect it would have on conformity rates. This Is a strength because it results in greater confidence when establishing cause and effect e.g. any change ln conformity rates must be an effect of the increased task difficulty as this was the only thing that changed. Therefore adds credibility.
•  limitation of research into variables affecting conformity is that It took a nomothetic approach which may not be suitable.

  This is because some of the participants in Asch's original conformity research never conformed despite everyone experiencing the same group size/unanimity/task difficulty
• Nomothetic approach - limitation - individual DIFFERENCES

  there were still individual differences in conformity rates in Asch’s variation studies. This is a limitation because it suggests that these variables have little Influence on some peoples' behaviour. E.g. group size may not have much influence on people who are less concerned about being liked/fitting in such as older people. Likewise, task difficulty may not have much influence on highly educated people who are more likely to trust their own expertise as opposed to looking to others for guidance. Therefore questions credibility.