Asch Conformity Analysis

Conformity refers to an individual’s behavior that is performed because of group pressure, even though that pressure might not involve a direct request. Many people want to think that they are conformist enough so that they are not looked upon as strange to others and nonconformist enough to demonstrate that they are capable of thinking by themselves. For many years, psychologists have been interested in human conformity. Usually when people are in groups, they behave according to how those in the group behave. That indicates that conformity can affect a person’s behavior and make a person do things that may be against their ethics, attitudes, and morals. The study of

In 1932, Jenness conducted the first study of conformity. The experiment was ambiguous as there was no right or wrong answer. The study focused on the participants' estimates on the number of beans in a bottle. Firstly, Jenness asked his participants to individually estimate the number of beans. He then gathered the group and got them to examine the contents. Finally, the researcher once again asked individuals for an estimate and observed that nearly all the individuals changed their original estimates to be closer to the group estimate, therefore showing a level of conformity.

He believed that conformity should be measured in terms of the individual’s tendency to agree with other group members who unanimously give the wrong answer when the solution is obvious. If people yield to group pressure under these conditions then this is a much stricter test of conformity. In 1951, Asch performed the Asch paradigm where he gave participants the simple perceptual task of matching one line (standard line) with another line (comparison line); each presented on a separate card. They had to say which of A.B or C was the same length as the standard line. A group of 36 control participants made three mistakes when tested 20 times. In the original experiment students were tested in groups of 7 – 9 in which only one person was a real participant, the others being confederates of Asch who had been instructed to give the wrong answers. They were seated either in a straight line or round a table so that the real participant was the last to answer. In the first two trials (neutral trials) the confederates and the real participant gave the correct answers. On the third trial the confederates agreed on the wrong answer. During the experiment there were ii additional critical trial and six neutral trails. The basic conformity rate was 32 %, which meant that on average participants gave the wrong answers on one third of the critical trials by agreeing with the confederate majority.

Each experiment has helped gain insight into the effects of conformity on human behavior. I am not certain if these two experiments can be generalized in a sense, but they do give us an idea as to the social implications of conformity and obedience. I have learned that social situations can have an enormous influence on behavior causing normal functioning people to behave badly despite knowing that the situation will produce negative

Conformity is the way that most people do in accordance to their behavior in their society (Conformity 1). Group Conformity is the way that human beings are affected by the behavior of others around them. The first experiment that studied group conformity was performed by Jenness in 1932 (Conformity 4). Following this experiment many more were performed such as The Stanford County Prison Experiment, Solomon Asch Experiment, Candid Camera Elevator Experiment, The Milgram Experiment, and the Bystander effect (Reyes). Just like there are many different types of experiments, there are also many different types of conformity compliance, internalisation, identification and ingratiational (Conformity). This paper will go over some of the many experiments

In pyschology conformity can be descibed as an indiviual’s tendency to follow the unspoken rules or behaviours of the social group to which he/she belongs to or wants to be apart of. Many psychologists including , Jenness (1932), Sherif (1935) both experimented in psychology, investigating conformity and group pressure. However, perhaps the most famous conformity experiment was done by Solomon Asch (1951) and his line judgment experiment. (McLeod 2007)

Solomon Asch set up a laboratory experiment using deception and confederates to determine what factors were involved in conformity and individual decisions in group decisions. Asch instructed subjects to choose which of three lines was the same length as the original line shown. Each subject was on a panel with seven other subjects, however in reality were confederates. The experimenter demonstrated the two cards and asked the individuals to choose the line on the comparison card that is the same length as the standard line. In the second trial the process was repeated again. However, on the third trial, when the card is revealed everyone gave wrong answers. The results indicate that approximately 75% of the subjects went with the group’s

Asch’s experiment was performed in 1951 and is now a classic experiment in psychology. Asch asked individuals a simple question and a high percentage answered correctly. Then Asch placed a participant in a room with seven actors who had predetermined incorrect answers. When asked in front of the group, 75% of people would give incorrect answers clearly because of they conformed to the actors around them. Asch then concluded that it is natural for one to conform to society in order to fit

On average, about thirty-two percent of the participants conformed to pick the blatantly wrong answer and over the twelve trials seventy-five percent of the students conformed at least once, and twenty-five didn’t conform at all. Many of the participants afterward admitted they conformed to give the wrong answer because they wanted to avoid being ridiculed and some thought the group really was correct. Is was the results of this experiment that led Asch to conclude that whenever people conform it’s to either fit in or because they believe that since they’re in the minority their conclusion is incorrect. Another influential experiment concerning conformity is the Stanford Prison Experiment. Conducted in 1973, Phillip Zimbardo wanted to determine if brutality in prison systems was due to the

In 1951, Solomon Asch carried out several experiments on conformity. The aim of these studies was to investigate conformity in a group environment situation. The purpose of these experiments was to see if an individual would be swayed by public pressure to go along with the incorrect answer. Asch believed that conformity reflects on relatively rational process in which people are pressured to change their behaviour. Asch designed experiments to measure the pressure of a group situation upon an individual judgment. Asch wanted to prove that conformity can really play a big role in disbelieving our own senses.

With this addiction would allow Asch to determine how the answers of the subject would change with the addition of peer pressure onto the real subject. The results of the experiment were interesting, which showed that peer pressure was a big influence on the answers given by the subjects. The results about the people giving an incorrect answer, one third of the real subjects also voiced an incorrect answer. The means that 75% of the subjects gave the wrong answer to at least one question, so there was no doubt that peer pressure can cause conformity. There was debate whether peer pressure can cause conformity because people did not believe the results and believe that the subjects were just being obedient. There were many other Asch Experiments that showed disobedient voices that difference to the results, so did the forcefulness of the actors. For example, one incorrect answer made by an actor made little difference to the answers, but the influence increased if two or more people disagreed. The results did not change much after this point because more actors made little difference. Also, the number of people in the group also made a

Solomon Asch tested conformity at Swarthmore College in 1951 by putting a participant in a group of people whose task was to match line lengths. Each individual was expected to announce which of three lines was the closest in length to a reference line. But the participant was placed in a group of actors, who were all told to give the correct answer twice then switch to each saying the same incorrect answer. Asch wanted to see whether the participant would conform and start to give the wrong answer as well, knowing that he would otherwise be a single outlier.

Solomon Asch 's (1951) conformity experiment is the study of people adapting their behaviours in order to follow the social normalities. This experiment entails a group of people who are actors and know about the experiment, and one person who is unknowing of the experiment, which are all in the same room. The group is shown a pair of cards; card A has a line on the card, and card B has three lines varying in length on the card, the similarities of the lines are obvious. The group individually, saying out loud picks one of the three lines on card B that matches the length of the line on card A. Everybody picks the correct line, this happens for a few rounds, then when shown another pair of cards the first actor chooses the wrong line on card B. The rest of the actors choose the same line the first actor chose, this tests to see if the unknowing participant will choose the same answer as the group (McLeod, 2008). The person who is unknowing of the

So Dr. Asch asked, did the people who gave in to the group do so knowing that their answers was wrong? Or did the social pressure actually change their perceptions?. To answer the question I believe it was social pressure that changed their perceptions, I believe that these participants were influenced by their fellow peers, which encouraged them to follow their peers and changed their thoughts and reality of the real answer. The articles goes on speaking about conformity and a new study that was being researched on perception. “The new study tried to find an answer by using functional M.R.I scanners that can peer into the working brain, a technology not available to Dr. Asch.” As stated in the article, the researcher found that social conformity showed up in the brain as activity in regions that are entirely devoted to perception. And our independent judgment was found in our emotional activity in the brain, this is significant because it makes sense that the conformity would associate itself with the area of the brain that deal with perception. Because as I said before conformity is rules and standards made by society, people can change and shape our perception in a very significant way. But it takes our emotions to stand up against that group and have our own independent judgment. Now In this new research, they used 32 volunteers and informed them that they’ll be in the M.R.I scanner. They were asking to rotate images of three-dimensional objects to

Conformity is a concept that has been heavily researched in the field of social psychology. Conformity is defined as a change in behavior, beliefs, and attitudes due to group pressure perceived as real (encompassing the presence of others) or imagined (encompassing the pressure of social standards) (Myers, 2010, p. 192). The concept of conformity is a powerful influence on the tendency for people to arrange their thoughts, perspectives, and ideas with others, especially when in a group. This takes away from a person’s individuality because they want to feel accepted by others and therefore, a person will accomplish this basic need of approval through conforming.