1. A study of conformity ASCH

2.  Unambiguous situation  clear  Incorrect answers when answers always obvious AIMS

3.  7 male students looked at 2 cards – a test card showing one vertical line and the other card showing 3 vertical lines of different lengths.  Pts had to call out in turn which of the 3 was the same length as the test line. The correct answer was always obvious.  All pts except one were confederates. The genuine pt called out his answer last but one.  The confederates gave unanimous wrong answers on 12 of the 18 trials (called the critical trials)  50 students were used as naïve pts (ie 1 pt for 12 critical trials x 50 students) PROCEDURE

4.  Pts conformed to the unanimous incorrect answer on 36.8% of the critical trials  75% of pts conformed at least once  25% never gave a wrong answer  These pts often experienced tension and doubt but managed to resist the pressure  Reasons for conformity via interview – pts claimed to have seen the line identified by the majority, or they could not bear to be a minority of one and be excluded or ridiculed by the rest, but most said they felt they must have been wrong and so yielded to the majority view FINDINGS

5.  Even in unambiguous situations, there may be strong group pressure to conform especially if the group is a unanimous majority  Asch concluded that people go along with the majority for different reasons: to avoid being rejected and because they doubt their own judgement CONCLUSION