Research Examining Conformity

Who did the experiment with a glass bottle and beans?

Jenness (1932)

What was Jenness’ experiment?

Participants individually estimated how many beans were in a glass bottle, they were then put in groups to provide a group estimate

What did Jenness’ experiment prove?

Nearly all participants changed their answer to fit the group estimate

What type of social influence does Jenness’ experiment show?

Informational social influence

What type of conformity does Jenness’ experiment show?

Internalisation as it is true conformity

Who performed the experiment with the comparisons of the different length lines?

Asch (1951)

What was the aim of Asch’s experiment?

To investigate the degree to which individuals would conform to a majority who gave obviously wrong answers

What were the findings of Asch’s experiment?

There was a 32% conformity rate to wrong answers

What is a confederate?

Someone in an experiment who knows what’s going on and isn’t truly taking part

What is a participant?

Someone in an experiment who is truly taking part and doesn’t necessarily know what’s going on

What should be included in an experiment description?

Aim

Procedure

Findings

Conclusion

Evaluation