Conformity Psychology Past Paper PDF

**Conformity** - Conformity is defined as a change in a person\'s behaviours or opinions due to real or imagined pressure from others (Aronson, 2011). - It can manifest in various forms, including compliance, identification, and internalization, depending on the nature of the i...

**Conformity** - Conformity is defined as a change in a person\'s behaviours or opinions due to real or imagined pressure from others (Aronson, 2011). - It can manifest in various forms, including compliance, identification, and internalization, depending on the nature of the influence. - It can be influenced by factors such as group size, unanimity, and task difficulty, which are critical in Asch\'s studies. - Understanding conformity helps in analysing social behaviour in various contexts, including peer pressure and cultural norms. **Asch\'s Baseline Procedure** **Overview of the Experiment** - The study involved 123 American male participants who were placed in groups with confederates. - Each participant was shown two cards: one with a standard line and another with three comparison lines, one of which matched the standard line. - Participants had to verbally identify which comparison line matched the standard line, with confederates providing incorrect answers. - The genuine participant was always seated last or next to last, ensuring they heard the confederates\' responses before giving their own. - The experiment aimed to measure the degree of conformity by comparing the participants\' answers to those of the confederates. **Key Findings from the Baseline Study** - On average, genuine participants conformed to the incorrect answers of confederates 36.8% of the time. - Individual differences were noted, with 25% of participants never conforming to the group\'s incorrect answers. - The results highlighted the powerful influence of group pressure on individual judgment, even in clear-cut situations. - Asch\'s findings demonstrated that social influence could lead to significant deviations from personal beliefs and perceptions. **Variables Affecting Conformity** **Group Size** - Asch varied the number of confederates from one to fifteen to assess the impact of group size on conformity. - Conformity increased with group size, peaking at three confederates, where the conformity rate reached 31.8%. - Beyond three confederates, the rate of conformity levelled off, indicating diminishing returns on influence as group size increased. - This suggests that even a small majority can significantly sway individual opinions, highlighting sensitivity to social influence. - The findings imply that the perception of majority opinion is crucial in determining conformity levels. **Unanimity** - Asch introduced a dissenting confederate to examine how non-conformity affects the genuine participant\'s behaviour. - The presence of a dissenter reduced conformity rates to less than a quarter of the level observed with a unanimous majority. - This indicates that the perception of unanimity is a powerful factor in social influence, as dissent can empower individuals to resist conformity. - The study suggests that individuals are more likely to conform when they perceive a strong consensus among group members. - The presence of a non-conforming individual can create a sense of independence among participants. **Task Difficulty** - Asch manipulated the difficulty of the line-judging task by making the comparison lines more similar in length. - Increased task difficulty led to higher conformity rates, as participants felt less confident in their judgments. - This phenomenon is linked to informational social influence, where individuals look to others for guidance in ambiguous situations. - The findings suggest that when the correct answer is unclear, individuals are more likely to conform to perceived majority opinion. - Asch\'s research highlights the interplay between task difficulty and social influence in shaping behaviour. **Evaluation of Asch\'s Research** **Limitations of the Study** - The artificial nature of the task and setting raises questions about the ecological validity of the findings. - Participants were aware they were part of a study, which may have influenced their behaviour (demand characteristics). - The trivial nature of the line-judging task may not reflect real-world situations where conformity has significant consequences. - Critics argue that Asch\'s groups lacked the social dynamics of real-life groups, limiting the generalizability of the results. - The study primarily involved American men, which may not represent conformity behaviours in women or individuals from collectivist cultures. \- Basically: \[use revision guide to condense it down completely for quick review\] **Research Support and Counterpoints** - Subsequent studies, such as those by Todd Lucas et al. (2006), support Asch\'s findings regarding task difficulty and conformity. - Lucas et al. found that participants conformed more on difficult math problems, reinforcing the idea that task difficulty influences conformity. - However, their research also indicated that individual confidence levels affected conformity, suggesting a more complex interaction than Asch proposed. - This highlights the need to consider individual differences alongside situational factors in understanding conformity. - Asch\'s research remains a cornerstone in social psychology, but it is essential to integrate findings from diverse populations and contexts for a comprehensive understanding. \- Basically: \[use revision guide to condense it down completely for quick review\] ­­­­\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\-\-\-\--\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ EXTRA A03 FOR 16 MARKER