Social influence is defined as, “the way in which a person or group of people affect the
attitudes and behaviour of an individual” (Brody and Dwyer, 2002).
Types of Conformity
Compliance Identification Internalisation
Change in behaviour only Change in behaviour and True conformity – change in
beliefs behaviour and beliefs
Done because of a desire to fit Done because of a desire to fit Done because of belief that
in/be liked in the group is correct
Public not private acceptance Public and private acceptance Public and private acceptance
Weak form of conformity Stronger form of conformity Strong form of conformity
Temporary – dependent on Temporary – dependent on Permanent – not dependent
group membership group membership on group membership
Beliefs remain unchanged For group acceptance, Beliefs change
membership is desirable
Research into Conformity as investigated by Asch
Aim: To investigate the degree to which individuals would conform to a majority who gave
obviously wrong answers.
• Asch used a sample of 123 American male undergraduate volunteers who were told that
they were taking part in a visual perception test (as opposed to research into
conformity).
• In small groups (between 7-9) they were shown a series of lines (The ‘standard line’ and
3 comparisons, one of which was the same length as the standard line). All but one of
the participants were “confederates”.
• Asch instructed the confederates to give the same incorrect answer on 12 out of the 18
trials — he called these “critical trials”. The true participant was always the last/second
to last one to answer.
Findings:
1. There was a 32% conformity rate on the 12 critical trials
2. 75% of participants conformed at least once (25% never conformed)
3. 5% of participants conformed on all 12 critical trials
, A03, Research by Asch
Strengths:
POINT: Study was a lab experiment so had high control over variable. EXAMPLE: Asch was
able to control where the confederates sat, the incorrect answers that they gave etc.
EXPLAIN: Demonstrates that the IV (agreement of the confederates) was the only variable
affecting the DV (conformity) allowing a cause and effect relationship to be established
giving the study high internal validity.
Weaknesses:
POINT: Asch’s study can be criticised as being a ‘child of its time’. EXAMPLE: Asch’s study
was conducted in America, in the 1950’s during the era of McCarthyism where people were
scared to be different. EXPLAIN: Study can be criticised as lacking temporal validity
because it is possible that the findings are unique to one particular culture and time thus,
the findings cannot be generalised to today’s society.
POINT: Asch’s research can be criticised as lacking ecological validity. EXAMPLE: Participants
were placed in an unfamiliar group of strangers (the confederates) and were expected to
carry out an artificial task. EXPLAIN: This is a weakness as the study is not reflective of the
participants’ real life behaviour and therefore the findings from the study cannot be
generalised beyond the artificial setting.
POINT: The study can be criticised on ethical grounds for deceiving the
participants. EXAMPLE: Asch told his participants that everyone in the study were partaking
in a visual perception test. EXPLAIN: This is a problem as deception should be avoided as
stated by the BPS as it’s not possible to gain fully informed consent from PPs and thus, could
unnecessarily harm PPs.
Variables affecting conformity investigated by Asch
Group size
• Wanted to see if the size of the group was important.
• When the number of confederates reduced to 3, conformity rate reduced to 32%.
Unanimity
• Wanted to see if the presence of a non-conforming confederate affected the answer.
Asch (1956) found that if there was one confederate who went against the other
confederates, conformity dropped from 32% to around 5.5%. If the rebel went against both
the other confederates and the real participants, conformity still dropped to 9%.
• Enabled the naïve participant to behave more independently.
Task difficulty
• Made the line judging more difficult.
• Conformity increased
• Moved from NSI to ISI as people didn’t know the answer, and assumed people around
them were correct
attitudes and behaviour of an individual” (Brody and Dwyer, 2002).
Types of Conformity
Compliance Identification Internalisation
Change in behaviour only Change in behaviour and True conformity – change in
beliefs behaviour and beliefs
Done because of a desire to fit Done because of a desire to fit Done because of belief that
in/be liked in the group is correct
Public not private acceptance Public and private acceptance Public and private acceptance
Weak form of conformity Stronger form of conformity Strong form of conformity
Temporary – dependent on Temporary – dependent on Permanent – not dependent
group membership group membership on group membership
Beliefs remain unchanged For group acceptance, Beliefs change
membership is desirable
Research into Conformity as investigated by Asch
Aim: To investigate the degree to which individuals would conform to a majority who gave
obviously wrong answers.
• Asch used a sample of 123 American male undergraduate volunteers who were told that
they were taking part in a visual perception test (as opposed to research into
conformity).
• In small groups (between 7-9) they were shown a series of lines (The ‘standard line’ and
3 comparisons, one of which was the same length as the standard line). All but one of
the participants were “confederates”.
• Asch instructed the confederates to give the same incorrect answer on 12 out of the 18
trials — he called these “critical trials”. The true participant was always the last/second
to last one to answer.
Findings:
1. There was a 32% conformity rate on the 12 critical trials
2. 75% of participants conformed at least once (25% never conformed)
3. 5% of participants conformed on all 12 critical trials
, A03, Research by Asch
Strengths:
POINT: Study was a lab experiment so had high control over variable. EXAMPLE: Asch was
able to control where the confederates sat, the incorrect answers that they gave etc.
EXPLAIN: Demonstrates that the IV (agreement of the confederates) was the only variable
affecting the DV (conformity) allowing a cause and effect relationship to be established
giving the study high internal validity.
Weaknesses:
POINT: Asch’s study can be criticised as being a ‘child of its time’. EXAMPLE: Asch’s study
was conducted in America, in the 1950’s during the era of McCarthyism where people were
scared to be different. EXPLAIN: Study can be criticised as lacking temporal validity
because it is possible that the findings are unique to one particular culture and time thus,
the findings cannot be generalised to today’s society.
POINT: Asch’s research can be criticised as lacking ecological validity. EXAMPLE: Participants
were placed in an unfamiliar group of strangers (the confederates) and were expected to
carry out an artificial task. EXPLAIN: This is a weakness as the study is not reflective of the
participants’ real life behaviour and therefore the findings from the study cannot be
generalised beyond the artificial setting.
POINT: The study can be criticised on ethical grounds for deceiving the
participants. EXAMPLE: Asch told his participants that everyone in the study were partaking
in a visual perception test. EXPLAIN: This is a problem as deception should be avoided as
stated by the BPS as it’s not possible to gain fully informed consent from PPs and thus, could
unnecessarily harm PPs.
Variables affecting conformity investigated by Asch
Group size
• Wanted to see if the size of the group was important.
• When the number of confederates reduced to 3, conformity rate reduced to 32%.
Unanimity
• Wanted to see if the presence of a non-conforming confederate affected the answer.
Asch (1956) found that if there was one confederate who went against the other
confederates, conformity dropped from 32% to around 5.5%. If the rebel went against both
the other confederates and the real participants, conformity still dropped to 9%.
• Enabled the naïve participant to behave more independently.
Task difficulty
• Made the line judging more difficult.
• Conformity increased
• Moved from NSI to ISI as people didn’t know the answer, and assumed people around
them were correct
