Variables affecting conformity

• Asch 1956:

  • 123 US, male, undergraduates. Line length test. Falsehoods told 12/18 trials. In group, one real P, rest confederates.
  • In 12 critical trials, average conformity rate 33.3% (conformed 4/12 times). ¼ of Ps didn't ever conform
  • When interviewed after, Ps reported knowing they were truly correct, and only answered wrong to avoid group disapproval
• Variables:

  • Group: Little conformity found when majority <=2 confederates. Conformity jumps to 30% with 3. Further increases in group size does not really alter levels after this. Campbell and Fairey 1989, when the issue is one of opinion with no definite answer, people more likely to be swayed more the larger the group
• Variables:

  • Unanimity: When P has the support of a dissenter (another P or a Confederate) (answers actual answer), conformity drops to 5.5%. If the dissenter gives different answer to P and group, conformity still low but 9%
• Variables:

  • Task difficulty: When lines made more similar in length (harder to tell which is the longest), conformity increased. Lucas 2006, self efficacy also effects conformity. People with high self efficacy (confidence in own ability) far more independent than low self efficacy people, regardless of task difficulty
• AO3:

  • Lacks temporal validity? Due to cold war McCarthyism, people less likely to go against majority. Perrin and Spencer 1980, reattempted Asch study in UK, only obtained 1/396 conforming responses when group gave unanimous answer. When study carried out with youths on probation (Ps) and probation officers (confederates), similar levels to Asch
• AO3:

  • Bond 2005, points out no Asch-esque studies use groups >9, so we can't know a lot about effect of really large groups on conformity
• AO3:

  • Asch believed that his study actually showed the tendency of Ps to stick to their own judgement, rather than being overly conformist, as his Ps still said answer they truly believed ⅔ of the time
• AO3:

  • Mori and Arai 2010, used colour filter glasses to make Ps wrong answers seem more convincing. All wore identically glasses, except P who has altered pair, causing different judgements. Female Ps had similar conformity rates to Asch
• AO3:

  • Smith 2006, analysed many Asch type studies across different cultures. Average conformity rate between all cultures 31.2%. Individualist cultures average 25%, when collectivist cultures average 37%. Markus and Kitayama 1991 suggest collectivist conformity is higher as it is viewed more favourably, like a social glue