In Asch's Study of Conformity and Independence,in Which Participants Made

question 10

Essay

In Asch's study of conformity and independence,in which participants made judgments involving the lengths of lines in the context of a group of people (actually confederates),a surprisingly high level of conformity was observed among the participants.By contrast,in a study conducted by Gamson et al. ,in which an experimenter ordered groups of participants to make videotaped statements supporting an oil company,most of the participants defied the orders of the experimenter.From the perspective of social impact theory,explain why so many of the participants in Asch's study conformed,while so many in Gamson et al.study were defiant.

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Definitions:

Inductive Argument

A type of reasoning that moves from specific instances to a general conclusion, which can be more or less probable but not certain.

Puppets

Articulated figures or models, manipulated by a puppeteer, used in performances to entertain or convey stories.

Tele-

A prefix meaning distant, used in forming words that signify communication over long distances, such as telephone or television.

Bad Work Ethic

Characterized by a lack of responsibility, dedication, and professionalism in one's approach to work tasks or environments.