variables affecting conformity

• what has happened since the original asch study

  a number of similar studies have been carried out to find out the circumstances under which people will or will not conform to a majority
• what are the 3 variables that affect conformity

  • group size
  • amnimity
  • task difficulty
• what did Asch produce

  variations of his original study to investigate what variables affect our decisions to conform
• what did Asch find about groups of 2

  Asch found that when there was one naive participant and one confederate the mean conformity rate was 0%
• what did Asch find about groups of 3

  when there was one naive participant and 2 confederates mean conformity rate was 14%
• what did Asch find about groups of 4/5

  when there was one naive participant and 3/4 confederates the mean conformity rate was 32%
• what did Asch find about groups of more than 5

  conformity stayed about 32% no matter how many people in the group
• according to group size when is conformity more likely


  conformity is more likely if the group has 3+ people in it than if there was 2/3 people in the group
• how can NSI explain group size

  • when there is only one other person in the group no pressure is felt and the conformity is 0%
  • if the group is increased to 3 in the group the conformity rate increases to 14% as the pressure to fit in and not stand out is felt
  • if the group size increased to 4 or more people then the pressure to fit in is felt more, person does not want to be judged by the group and is more likely yo conform at a rate of 32%
• how does ISI explain

  • when there is only one other person in the group no pressure is felt and therefore there is no doubt in your answer and the conformity rate is 0%
  • if the group size is increased to 3 people in the group in the conformity rate increases to 14% due to there being more people you begin to doubt yourself more
  • finally if there is 4+ people in the group the mean conformity rate is 32% due to the true participant beginning to doubt themself more and consider others more knowledgeable
• what does unanimity mean

  everyone agrees
• how can unanimity affects conformity

  is unanimity is broken and someone else in the group agrees with you or disagrees with the group you are less likely yo conform to the majority
• what did Asch find about the affects of unanimity on conformity

  he found that conformity reduced to 6% and this was true even when the confederates answer was a different wrong than the others in the group
• what did Asch findings about unanimity suggest

  that the influence of the majority depends on the group being unanimous
• who can unanimity be explained through NSI

  if there is a dissenting peer there is less pressure on yourself to conform and therefore conformity decreases to 6%
• how can unanimity be explained through ISI

  if there is a dissenting peer you may begin to question if the group is more knowledgeable and therefore become more sure of yourself and not conform
• how can task difficulty affect conformity

  • if the task or decision is easy we are less likely to look to others in the group for guidance and therefore conformity is less likely
  • however if the task/decision is difficult then we are less likely yo conform
• what did Asch do to test conformity based on task difficulty

  he made the lines more close in length
• what happened when Asch tested for task difficulty

  the conformity rate increases as the ps was more usure and therefore considered other more knowledgeable
• how can task difficulty be explained by ISI

  if the task is more difficult the rate of conformity increased because they are more usure and consider others more knowledgeable as it is more difficult
• when is conformity more likely

  • the group is unanimous in giving the same wrong answer
  • when the task is more difficult to judge
  • when group size is 3 or more conformity rates increase and remain at approximately 32%
• when is conformity less likely

  • when the group size is less than 3 as conformity rates decrease is only 1 confederate conformity rate is 0%
  • when the group are more unanimous and 1 confederate gives a wrong answer rates reduce to 6%
  • when the task is easy to judge