What did the Asch Paradigm refer to?
The Asch paradigm, in psychology, is a series of experiments on conformity run by Solomon Asch in the 1950s. These experiments tested the way individuals responded to group-think, and to what extent social pressure could cause a person to conform.
What did the Asch experiment prove?
The experiments revealed the degree to which a person’s own opinions are influenced by those of groups. Asch found that people were willing to ignore reality and give an incorrect answer in order to conform to the rest of the group.
How does the Asch Paradigm relate to the social comparison theory?
The conformity demonstrated in Asch experiments is problematic for social comparison theory. Social comparison theory suggests that, when seeking to validate opinions and abilities, people will first turn to direct observation.
What type of conformity was used in Asch’s experiment?
Out of this study, Asch identified two types of conformity: informative conformity, when people believe that they were wrong and the rest of the group was right, and normative conformity, when people believe that they are correct but go along with the group to fit in.
How did Solomon Asch measure conformity?
Asch measured the number of times each participant conformed to the majority view. On average, about one third (32%) of the participants who were placed in this situation went along and conformed with the clearly incorrect majority on the critical trials.
Is Asch’s study reliable?
Finally, Asch’s research is ethically questionable. Although it is seen as unethical to deceive participants, Asch’s experiment required deception in order to achieve valid results. If the participants were aware of the true aim they would have displayed demand characteristics and acted differently.
What social psychological phenomenon was demonstrated by the Asch studies?
Conforming behavior has always been an interesting social phenomenon attracting the attention of many social psychologists in all times. In his most famous, but at the same time most controversial study, Asch (1951) demonstrated that people easily change their opinion when confronted with deviating opinions of others.
How does unanimity affect conformity?
Group Unanimity A person is more likely to conform when all members of the group agree and give the same answer. When one other person in the group gave a different answer from the others, and the group answer was not unanimous, conformity dropped.
What were the independent and dependent variables in the Asch conformity study?
The independent variable in Asch’s 1955 study was the response of the confederates and the dependent variable was the subject’s response to the same question. The operational definition of conformity was the assent of the subject with the group majority (Asch, 1955).
When were people least likely to conform in Asch’s study?
In Asch’s conformity studies, participants were less likely to conform when: there was at least one dissenter in the group.
What did Jenness 1932 do and find?
Jenness (1932) conducted one of the earliest experiments examining conformity. Jenness found that nearly all participants changed their original answer, when they were provided with another opportunity to estimate the number of beans in the glass bottle.
How did Asch induce conformity?
How did Asch induce conformity in his studies involving judgments of line length? -Participants discussed the problem and came to a group consensus. -Several accomplices gave incorrect answers before the true participant answered. Several accomplices gave incorrect answers before the true participant answered.
Why is the Asch experiment important in psychology?
The Asch conformity experiments are among the most famous in psychology’s history and have inspired a wealth of additional research on conformity and group behavior. This research has provided important insight into how, why, and when people conform and the effects of social pressure on behavior.
Is the Asch effect a child of its time?
Support for this comes from studies in the 1970s and 1980s that show lower conformity rates (e.g., Perrin & Spencer, 1980). Perrin and Spencer (1980) suggested that the Asch effect was a “child of its time.” They carried out an exact replication of the original Asch experiment using engineering, mathematics and chemistry students as subjects.
What are some criticisms of Asch’s conformity experiment?
One of the major criticisms of Asch’s conformity experiments centers on the reasons why participants choose to conform. According to some critics, individuals may have actually been motivated to avoid conflict, rather than an actual desire to conform to the rest of the group.
What are the independent variables in Asch study?
In further trials, Asch (1952, 1956) changed the procedure (i.e., independent variables) to investigate which situational factors influenced the level of conformity (dependent variable). His results and conclusions are given below: Asch (1956) found that group size influenced whether subjects conformed.