The science of conformity

Published: Tue, 03/31/20

In 1951 the psychologist Solomon Asch carried out a series of behavioral experiments which have since become famous. A person would be invited to participate in a vision test. The subject would come into a room with a group of other people. Two cards would be displayed on a board, one card would have a single line and the second card three lines, one of which was the same length as the single line on the other card. The three lines would be labeled A, B and C. Then each person in the group would be asked which line was the same length as the single one on the other card. The tricky bit was that only one person would not know that the rest of the group were in on the true purpose of the experiment. Several different sets of cards would be displayed and sometimes the correct match would be identified by everyone in the room. Sometimes those in on the experiment would name a line which was not the same length as the single line on
the other card and all would agree that this one was indeed a match for the line on the other card. The experiment was conducted in various different ways but the result averages out that nearly 75% of subjects would second guess themselves and agree with the majority choice even though it is obvious that the choice of line is wrong. Personally I find it reassuring that over 25% were prepared to stick with the evidence of their own eyes. There is a more detailed description of the experiment linked below.

What is even more interesting is the reasons people apparently gave for agreeing to the obviously wrong answer. Most apparently went along with the group out of fear of being ridiculed or thought ‘Peculiar’. A few said that they really did believe that the group was correct and their judgment was at fault. This suggests that people conform for two main reasons:

Because they want to fit in with a group (normative influence).

Or because they genuinely believe that the group is better informed than they are (informational influence).

It is one thing to participate in a psychology experiment, and the initial subjects were all psychology students themselves. When the experiment was tried out using engineering, mathematics, and chemistry students as subjects in only one of 396 tests did the subject join agree with the erroneous decision of the majority. (Maybe the ‘failure’ just needed glasses?) Which is even more reassuring as it indicates that education and knowledge can support integrity and self-confidence.

So, why was the experiment considered important and is still quoted today nearly 70 years later? After the defeat of the Axis powers in 1945 the big question was why did the populations of sophisticated societies such as Germany, Italy and Japan go along with fascism as it manifested in the 1920s and 30s and then took those countries into war? Why do people go along with what they know is wrong and untrue event to the point of allowing tyrannical government to take over?

Asch demonstrated that some people will even deny the evidence of their own eyes in order to fit in with a group or simply because they doubt heir own judgment. Add in the factors of propaganda, authority, prejudice, ignorance, fear and general confusion and maintaining a confident grip on objective truth is not going to be easy.

So, don’t be too hard on yourself if find it tough to know what to believe. Don’t be too judgmental towards other people who are led to different conclusions about events than you have settled on. Asch’s experiment reminds us how much human beings feel the need to fit in and many of us are willing to make compromises to do so. I don’t find that particularly reassuring but it does help me understand how the world works.

regards

Graham

PS Good article on Asch’s conformity experiment https://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html


PPS What is your most effective weapon in martial arts? Your feet? Knees? Elbows? Fists? I would suggest it is your brain, if you are brave enough to think for yourself. The real purpose of my Principles Based Martial Arts programme is to get you thinking about your training and practice, sign up here http://pbma.iceandfire.org/