... of conformity. Psychologists such as Asch, Sheriff, Crutchfield and Jenness have all conducted valuable studies which can be used as a basis for conformity research. Asch investigated if people yield to group pressure when the answer is obvious. He gave participants a simple perceptual task of matching one line with another. There was the sample line and three possible matches. It was very obvious which line matched the sample. He then set up the situation with confederates who on some occasions argued a blatantly wrong answer. 32% conformed with the confederates. Asch also found that the level of conformity was higher when the confederates weren't too rigid. He therefore declared that a more fluid influence is more likely to induce conformity. Ref1 Sheriff used a visual illusion, (the autokinetic effect) where a spot seen in an otherwise dark room appears to move when in fact, it is stationary. He then told subjects ...

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