variables affecting conformity

• Asch's study - 123 male American undergraduates. Groups of 6 - 1 true participant and 5 confederates. Aim to investigate conformity.
• Asch's procedure: presented to 4 lines - 3 comparison and 1 standard. Asked to state which of the 3 lines was the same length as the stimulus line. The real participants answered last or second to last. Confederates would give the wrong answer 12/18 trials.
• Asch's findings: 36.8% conformed, 25% never conformed, 75% conformed at least once.
• affecting factors: group size. Little conformity in groups of 1 or 2 but above 3 rose to 30%. increases confidence but doesn't seem to increase over 4, optimal group size.
• unaminity of study: more likely to conform when all give the same answers. When another participant gave the correct answer conformity fell from 32% to 5.5%. more confidence.
• difficulty of the task: more likely to conform when task is difficult. eg. Asch altered the comparison lines making them more similar in length conformity increased. moderated by self efficiency.
• AO3- lacks ecological validity. Based on peoples own perceptions so lacks generalisability. Artificial tasks so doesn't convey real life complexitiy.
• AO3 - ethical issues. deception - participants told he was testing perception not conformity therefore couldn't get full informed consent. psychological harm - could have been embarrassed after realising true aims of the study.
• AO3- supports normative social influence. Participants reported that they conformed to fit into the group.
• AO3 - lacks population validity due to sampling issues. eg. participants only male american undergraduates, subject to gender bias.