CONFORMITY EXPERIMENT (Solomon Asch, 1951)

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CONFORMITY EXPERIMENT

(Solomon Asch, 1951)

AIM: to discover whether group size and unanimity

influences pressure to conform.

HYPOTHESIS: it was hypothesised that an individual would

modify their response to a visual stimulus perception test to conform to the

response given by the rest of the group.

PARTICIPANTS: six participants were chosen (one volunteer and

five confederates).

EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS

& KEY VARIABLES: There were

eighteen visual judgement trials and the group was instructed to verbal choose

which line (A, B, or C) was identical in length to the X-labelled line.

IV: confederates in the group responded

incorrectly to the majority of these trials.

DV: the participant had to make a decision as whether to conform to

the response from the rest of the group, even though the participants was aware

that they were incorrect.

RESULTS: 75% of participants selected the same response as

the confederates at least once. 33% selected the same response as the

confederates half or more of the time. 24% did not conform at all.

CONCLUSION: group

pressure, such as size and unanimity of the group, influences conformity

EXTERNAL VALIDITY &GENERALISATION: This is externally valid, for example, in the

military and seen with school uniforms (shoes). It can be generalised that

people conform to a way of life, for example, people may go out and by specific

clothes, keeping in mind what they have seen others wear so that they too can

appeal to the group.

ETHICAL ISSUSES: the participant didn’t know that he was the only

participant.

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