Asch's research

Created by: Gottowork
Created on: 15-05-16 11:01

Detail Asch's procedure

123 American male undergraduates, asked which of three comparison lines matched standard. One naive participant, six to eight confederates. 18 trials, 12 critical trials.

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What did Asch find?

Naive participant gave wrong answer 36.8% of the time. 25% didn't conform at all, 75% conformed at least once. Asch effect - extent to which participants conform even when situation is ambiguous

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Asch carried out three variations of his study. What were they?

Task difficulty, group size and unanimity

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How did group size affect the rate of conformity?

Adding more confederates (higher size of maj.). Conformity increased with group size, only to 3 then levelled off

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How did unanimity affect the rate of conformity?

The extent to which all members of a group agree - introduced confederate who disagreed with the others. Conformity reduced by a quarter from level when maj. unanimous. Influence of maj. depends on unanimity

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How did task difficulty affect the rate of conformity?

More difficult - stimulus line and comparison lines more similar in length, conformity increased. ISI plays greater role

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Why can we say Asch's research is 'a child of its time'?

1950s especially conformist time in America, made sense to conform to norms. People less conformist today, so findings not consistent across time and situations

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Why is Asch's study being an artificial situation and task a limitation?

Knew they were in research study, DC. Identifying lines trivial - no reason not to conform. Findings don't generalise to real life

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Name a limitation of Asch's findings.

Limited application of findings - only men (women might be more conformist), US individualist culture but conformity rates higher in collectivist cultures (e.g. China). So conformity rates sometimes even higher, may only apply to American men

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What did Asch find?

Back

Naive participant gave wrong answer 36.8% of the time. 25% didn't conform at all, 75% conformed at least once. Asch effect - extent to which participants conform even when situation is ambiguous

Card 3

Front

Asch carried out three variations of his study. What were they?

Back

Card 4

Front

How did group size affect the rate of conformity?

Back

Card 5

Front

How did unanimity affect the rate of conformity?

Back

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Asch's research