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Solomon Asch Conformity

Solomon Asch’s research on conformity is one of the most well-known studies in social psychology. His experiments explored how social pressure influences individual decision-making, demonstrating the power of normative social influence.

What is the Conformity Theory of Solomon Asch?

Asch’s conformity theory suggests that people often conform to group pressure even when they know the group is incorrect. He demonstrated this through his famous line judgment task, where participants conformed to the majority’s incorrect answers.

What Did Solomon Asch's Studies Reveal About Conformity?

Asch’s studies showed that people conform to avoid rejection or fit in with a group. Key findings from his research include:

  • 75% of participants conformed at least once.

  • Overall conformity rate was 32%.

  • With a dissenting confederate, conformity dropped to 5%.

What Did Asch Say About Conformity?

Asch concluded that social pressure has a powerful impact on decision-making, even in simple tasks. He believed that individuals conform due to:

  1. Normative Social Influence – The desire to fit in and be accepted.

  2. Informational Social Influence – Doubting their own judgment and assuming others are correct.

How Does Group Size Affect Conformity?

Asch found that group size plays a crucial role in conformity levels:

  • With one confederate, conformity was low.

  • With three or more confederates, conformity peaked at 32%.

  • Adding more confederates beyond three had little effect.

Solomon Asch Experiment Summary

  • Aim: To investigate how social pressure affects conformity.

  • Procedure: Participants compared line lengths in a group setting where confederates gave incorrect answers.

  • Findings: People conformed to avoid standing out, even when they knew the group was wrong.

  • Conclusion: Social pressure can lead people to conform, even against their own judgment.

Asch Conformity Experiment Procedure

  1. A participant joined a group of confederates.

  2. They were shown a standard line and three comparison lines.

  3. The confederates deliberately gave incorrect answers.

  4. The participant had to decide whether to conform or give the correct answer.

Asch Conformity Experiment Results

  • 32% of participants conformed to the majority.

  • 75% conformed at least once.

  • 25% never conformed.

When Was the Asch Conformity Experiment Conducted?

The Asch conformity experiment was first conducted in 1951 and later replicated in 1955.

Asch Conformity Experiment Ethical Issues

While highly influential, Asch’s experiment had ethical concerns:

  • Deception: Participants were misled about the true nature of the study.

  • Psychological Stress: Some participants felt discomfort when disagreeing with the group.

  • Lack of Informed Consent: Participants were unaware of the study’s true aim.

Download the Asch Conformity Experiment PDF

For a detailed breakdown of Asch’s experiment, including evaluation points and exam-style questions, download the Social Influence Digital Interactive Revision Workbook – Yum Yum Mama.

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Why Choose This Workbook?

✅ Covers all major social influence topics, including conformity and obedience. ✅ Expert-written with 20+ years of psychology teaching experience. ✅ Interactive learning with live links to model answers. ✅ Designed for AQA A-Level and AP Psychology students. ✅ Instant digital download – Start revising today!

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