Solomon Asch conducted an experiment in 1956 that demonstrated people's tendency to conform to group pressure and provide incorrect answers to basic visual judgments to fit in. Participants were shown cards with a line on them and asked to identify which of three other lines matched the length of the line, but unbeknownst to them, some of the confederates in the group intentionally gave the wrong answer. Despite the clear right answer, many participants went along with the incorrect majority to conform rather than stand alone. The study showed that both normative and informational social influence can cause people to conform to a group, even if it means ignoring their own judgment.

1. Social Influence

2. Conformity
 Change in belief or behaviour in order to fit
in with a group

3. Conformity – Asch (1956)

4. Reasons why we conform…
 Normative Social Influence
 Informational Social Influence

6. Summer Projects: Asch (1956)
 What is Conformity?
 Asch (1956) – Aim, Method, Results, Conclusion
 Evaluation of Asch’s experiment… Is Asch’s research supported by any other
psychological studies?
 Further trials of Asch’s experiment… Factors affecting conformity:
a) Size of group
b) Social Support
c) Difficulty of Task
d) Answer in Private
e) Status of Majority group
 Why do people conform?
- Normative vs. Informational social influence (explain and give
examples in real life)