AO1:
Aim:
To investigate to what extent people will conform to a majority opinion even when it appears obviously incorrect.
Procedure: Findings: Conclusi
● 50 American male college students took part in the ● The average level of conformity across his studies ● Asch
study and were told the study was of visual was approximately 32% (in 32% of the critical trials is no
perception. the wrong answer given by the confederates was huge
also given by the participant). may
● They sat at a table of 7 people and were told to say diffe
out loud (in order around the table) which one of ● No participant conformed on every critical trial. have
the three lines matched the target line.
● 74% of participants conformed at least once.
● The correct answer was always obvious. All
participants, except for 1, were confederates. The Interview findings:
real participant was always the last one to answer. ● Some participants who conformed said that they
thought their perception must be faulty so yielded
● The confederates were instructed to give the same to the majority.
incorrect answer on 12 critical trials out of 18.
● Most participants who conformed said that they
● A post-experimental interview was given to did not want to be in the minority in case of
participants. exclusion by the group.
● A small number of participants who conformed
denied conforming and genuinely thought they
gave the correct answer.
AO3:
Scientific methodology Lacks ecological validity Lacks population validity
P A strength of Asch’s research is that P A weakness of Asch’s research is that P A weakness of Asch’s research is th
it uses scientific methodology. it uses an artificial situation and an it lacks population validity.
E Asch had control over all variables in artificial task. E An all-male sample is used. Also As
his study. E Matching lines isn’t an everyday life never conducted research in
E Since the level of control is high, this experience and is quite insignificant non-Western cultures.
allows him to control extraneous compared to real life situations E Asch may have got vastly different
variables in addition to creating involving pressures to conform. results if he used female participan
standardised procedures. E Asch’s study may therefore only as well. Additionally, Asch may hav
L Therefore, scientifically sound explain conformity in special got increased levels of conformity
methodology allows us to be circumstances that bear little more collectivist cultures because
confident in the findings. similarity to real life. the tendency is to focus on the
L Therefore, Asch’s research lacks group’s needs, which may encoura
ecological validity and is unlikely to conformity.
inform our understanding of L Therefore, Asch’s research lacks
conformity in everyday situations. population validity and this reduce
the validity of Asch’s findings.
Aim:
To investigate to what extent people will conform to a majority opinion even when it appears obviously incorrect.
Procedure: Findings: Conclusi
● 50 American male college students took part in the ● The average level of conformity across his studies ● Asch
study and were told the study was of visual was approximately 32% (in 32% of the critical trials is no
perception. the wrong answer given by the confederates was huge
also given by the participant). may
● They sat at a table of 7 people and were told to say diffe
out loud (in order around the table) which one of ● No participant conformed on every critical trial. have
the three lines matched the target line.
● 74% of participants conformed at least once.
● The correct answer was always obvious. All
participants, except for 1, were confederates. The Interview findings:
real participant was always the last one to answer. ● Some participants who conformed said that they
thought their perception must be faulty so yielded
● The confederates were instructed to give the same to the majority.
incorrect answer on 12 critical trials out of 18.
● Most participants who conformed said that they
● A post-experimental interview was given to did not want to be in the minority in case of
participants. exclusion by the group.
● A small number of participants who conformed
denied conforming and genuinely thought they
gave the correct answer.
AO3:
Scientific methodology Lacks ecological validity Lacks population validity
P A strength of Asch’s research is that P A weakness of Asch’s research is that P A weakness of Asch’s research is th
it uses scientific methodology. it uses an artificial situation and an it lacks population validity.
E Asch had control over all variables in artificial task. E An all-male sample is used. Also As
his study. E Matching lines isn’t an everyday life never conducted research in
E Since the level of control is high, this experience and is quite insignificant non-Western cultures.
allows him to control extraneous compared to real life situations E Asch may have got vastly different
variables in addition to creating involving pressures to conform. results if he used female participan
standardised procedures. E Asch’s study may therefore only as well. Additionally, Asch may hav
L Therefore, scientifically sound explain conformity in special got increased levels of conformity
methodology allows us to be circumstances that bear little more collectivist cultures because
confident in the findings. similarity to real life. the tendency is to focus on the
L Therefore, Asch’s research lacks group’s needs, which may encoura
ecological validity and is unlikely to conformity.
inform our understanding of L Therefore, Asch’s research lacks
conformity in everyday situations. population validity and this reduce
the validity of Asch’s findings.
