Variables Affecting Conformity

• Variables affecting conformity include: group size, unanimity & task difficulty- investigated by Asch.
• Asch Line Length Study (1956):

  • 123 male undergraduates.
  • Groups of 7-9, but only one was an actual PP.
  • Were shown 3 different line lengths on 18 different slides & asked which of the lines were the same as the standard line.
  • Actors gave the same incorrect answer on 12/18 trials.
  • Wanted to investigate whether PPs would go along with the confederates & say the obviously incorrect answer (eg comply with the group).
• Asch Line Length Study (1956) Findings:

  • When actors gave wrong answer, PPs went along with it nearly 33% of the time.
  • When actors gave the right answer, the PPs made almost no errors.
  • Of the PPs, 75% conformed at least once & 25% did not conform.
  • Of them, 5% conformed every time.
  • Conclusion: most people will comply to the group to avoid disapproval, even when the right answer is obvious.
• Asch carried out variations of his original study & found the following affected the rates of conformity:

  1. The size of the majority group- 3 confederates led to 33% rate of conformity.
  2. The unanimity of majority- how much of the group agrees- with just 1 other person saying correct answer, conformity rate dropped to 5.5% from 33% (when group disagrees with each other, it becomes less influential).
  3. The difficulty of the task- made lines more similar, increased conformity, but this time its Informational Social Influence rather than Normative Social Influence.
• Evaluation for Variables Affecting Conformity- Weakness:

  • Asch's study is only valid to the time it was conducted in- high levels of conformity were only found because of the cultural time-frame it was conducted in.
  • In 1950's America, the fear of communism was high (people more likely to stick with the majority).
  • Indicates that Asch's results are not generalisable.
• Evaluation for Variables Affecting Conformity- Weakness:

  • Modern research has failed to replicate Asch's findings- Perrin & Spencer (1980) repeated the Asch study in Britain & found only 1 conforming response from 396 trials.
  • Supports the claim that Asch's results are not generalisable.
• Evaluation for Variables Affecting Conformity- Weakness:

  • There are methodological issues with Asch's study- sample bias (all American, male, undergraduates) & task & setting are unrealistic.
  • These reduce the validity of Asch's study & therefore make the results ungeneralisable.
• Evaluation for Variables Affecting Conformity- Weakness:

  • Are ethical issues with Asch's study- PPs given a task that made them question their own judgement, this provides the potential for psychological harm.
  • It's argued that we should not use the conclusions of unethical research & Asch's research should therefore be disregarded.