These A-level psychology notes on the topic of social influence are clear, concise, and packed with visuals, making complex concepts easy to understand. Perfect for revision, they cover all key theories, studies, and evaluations in an accessible format. These notes helped me achieve an A*. I hope t...
To investigate whether people would
conform to the judgements of others in
situations where such judgments were
clearly wrong (non-ambiguous situations).
Method:
• Male students were tested in groups of 7-9 people.
• In each group there was only one genuine/naive participant, the
rest were stooges (confederates).
• Ps were seated in a semi-circle and had to decide which one of the
three comparison lines was the same as a standard line.
• They gave their judgement aloud, with the naïve P answering
second to last.
• There were 18 trials, on six 'natural' trials, stooges all gave the
correct answer, but the other 12 'critical' trials they unanimously
gave the same wrong answer.
Results
• In the control condition, 0.7% errors were made.
• In the experimental condition, 37% errors were made.
,Conclusion
The task was easy as the error in the control condition was so low.
Asch concluded that the 37% error in the experimental condition was
due to social influence.
Even in situations where the judgements of others appear wrong,
conformity occurs.
Given that most people said that they answered to agree with the
group and avoid ridicule even through they thought the answer was
wrong (public acceptance but private disagreement), thus showed and
example of NSI with the participants exhibiting compliance.
Evaluation of Asch’s research
Advantages
Research method:
• Lab experiment = extraneous and confounding variables are strictly
controlled, meaning that replication is easy.
Pilot study:
• Asch completed a pilot study, 717/720 the correct answer was given.
• This proved it was unambiguous.
, Disadvantages
Ethics:
• Deception - Ps were tricked into thinking the study was
about perception rather than conformity so they could not
give informed consent.
• Psychological harm - Ps may be embarrassed after
realising the true aims of the study.
Research method:
• Lab experiment lacks ecological validity as they may not
have been generalisable to real life situations = low
mundane realism.
Gender bias and culture bias:
• Asch only researched US male students.
• Females are more likely to conform than men.
• Bond and Smith said conformity rates tend to be higher in collectivist cultures
(e.g. China) - the good of the group is valued over individual achievement.
• Unlike individualistic cultures (e.g. UK) where person choice are valued.
Historical bias:
• Perrin and Spencer carried out an exact replication of the original Asch
experiment in 1981.
• Used 33 British students = conformity only happened on 1/396 trials showing
conformity was much lower in the 1980s.
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