1.2 Asch's Research

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A level Psychology (social influence) Mind Map on 1.2 Asch's Research, created by Alicja Klak on 25/03/2023.
Alicja Klak
Mind Map by Alicja Klak, updated more than 1 year ago
Alicja Klak
Created by Alicja Klak over 1 year ago
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1.2 Asch's Research
  1. Solomon Asch (1951, 1955)
    1. Procedure
      1. Tested conformity by showing participants two large white cards. On one card there was a 'standard' line and the other were three comparisons.
        1. Had 123 American male undergrads. Asked the participant which line matched the standard. Each participant was tested in a group with confederates, unaware. On the first trials they would give the correct answer but later told to make errors.
      2. Findings
        1. Participant gave the wrong answer 36.8% of the time. 25% did not conform on any trials. The term asch effect used to describe the result, the extent to which participants conform even when the situation is ambiguous.
        2. Asch's Variations
          1. Group size
            1. Wanted to test whether group size had an effect on the agreement of a group. Found that 3 confederates conformity to the wrong answer grew to 31.8%. Suggests that small majority is not sufficient for influence to be exerted.
            2. Unanimity
              1. Whether presence of another non conforming person would affect the participant. Presence meant that conformity was reduced by a quarter from the level it was at previously.
                1. Suggests that the influence of a majority depends to some extent on the group being unanimous.
              2. Task difficulty
                1. Found that conformity increased when the task was more difficult. Suggesting that ISI plays a greater role when the task becomes harder.
            3. Findings
              1. Strengths
                1. Support from other studies.
                  1. Todd Lucas et al (2006) asked p. to solve easy and hard maths questions. Were given answers from 3 other students which were not real. The p. conformed more often when the questions were harder.
                    1. Asch was correct in claiming task difficulty increased conformity.
                2. Weaknesses
                  1. Artificial situation
                    1. Participants knew they were in a research study so may have just gone with what they thought they had to do. DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS.
                      1. Findings dont generalise to real life situations.
                    2. Participants were American men.
                      1. Other research suggests women are more conformist. USA also more individualistic culture. Other research (NETO 1995) suggests that with other ethnic groups, may be more conformity.
                        1. Tell us little about conformity with women and other cultures.
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