Asch Study Flashcards
Who researched compliance?
Asch
Who did he recruit to carry out this study?
123 male American participants
What study did the participants think they were taking part in?
A visual perception task
What was the method of this study?
There was one real participant and the rest were confederates who had agreed to answer 12 out of of 18 questions wrong. Each group included 6-8 people. They had to say the comparison line which matched the standard line
What were the findings of this study?
The average conformity rate was 32%. 75% of participants conformed at least once but 25% did not conform at all
What are the two strengths of Asch’s study?
It took place in a controlled environment and the study is easy to replicate
What are the three limitations of Asch’s study?
It lacks ecological validity, there are ethical issues and the findings may only reflect the attitudes of the American society at that particular time
What did Larsen find?
He found significantly lower rates of conformity than Asch therefore Asch’s results are not reliable
What did Perrin and Spencer find?
They used maths, chemistry and engineering students whose specific skills in accuracy and measurement may have ensured they were less likely to conform
