This document summarizes research on peer pressure and social influence. It discusses key studies including Asch's 1955 conformity experiment. The experiment found that participants conformed to an incorrect majority view about 37% of the time, showing the strong tendency people have to conform to group norms. While influential, the study has been criticized for its limited real-world applicability. Overall, the document reviews research demonstrating how individuals are influenced by others and tend to conform to group behaviors, attitudes and values.

1. PEER PRESSURE
Isaac Ansell Forsyth

2. Peer Pressure
“a person who is of equal standing with
another in a group”

3. Social Influence
• “how thoughts, feelings • Conformity
and behaviour of
individuals are • Obedience
influenced by the
actual, imagined or
implied presence of
others” (Allport, 1968)

4. Conformity
• Exposure to majority • Minority influence-
position – Reject established norm
• Adopt behaviour,
attitudes and values

5. Investigating the nature of conformity
(Asch, 1955)
• AIMS
– investigate conformity behaviour when given an
unambiguous task
• METHOD
– 123 male, American undergraduates
– Series of lines
– All but 1 participant- confederate
– Critical trials
– True participant- last to answer

6. Asch, 1995 (cont.)
• RESULTS
– 37% overall conformance
– 75% conformed at least once
• Control- 1% wrong answers
• CONCLUSION
– Strong tendency to conform
– Resistance was possible

7. Evaluation of Study
• Is the study a ‘child of its time’?
• Ecological validity
– What does it actually tell us about real life?

8. ‘Real Life’ examples

9. In the context of crime...
• Psychological approaches
– Learning theories
• Differential association (Sutherland)
• Sociological approaches
– Functionalism
• Status frustration (Cohen)