variables affecting conformity - asch

• asch's line study


  tested conformity by showing lin and asking to match three comparison lines, answered out loud

  123 american male undergraduate students

  one real participants and six - eight confederates

  12/18 trials, confederate all gave wrong answer
• Asch's conclusion 


  participants gave wrong answer 32%

  25% didn't conform at all

  coined ASCH affect, conform even when situation or answer is obvious
• three variables affecting conformity

  group size - varied number of confederates from 1 - 16, 3+ had a conformity rate of 31.8%

  unanimity of majority - non-conforming confederate who disagreed with rest of group, dissenting confederate meant confomrity went down by a quarter

  task difficulty - difference in line smaller, conformity increased, ISI plays greater role when task is harder