Asch (1955) - Alternative Evidence

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Alternative Evidence:

ASCH (1955) Opinions and Social Pressure 

A CHILD OF ITS TIME 

Perrin and Spencer(1980)

  • Repeated Asch's study in England in the 1970's
  • Found that only 1 student conformed on 396 trials
  • Perhaps people were more conformist in 1950's America?
  • Participants were science students = MORE confident about estimating line length
  • When youths on probation were used = HIGHER conformity 

THIS STUDY CONTRADICTS ASCH'S because:

  • The assumption was that people would conform to group norms, whatever the situation and whenever it happened. 
  • This study highlights an issue of population validity,because It is evident here that the study is era specific – a product of its time ands not necessarily relevant to society today. 
  • Have the cultural customs of the time (1950s) distorted the results of Asch’s original

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