The greater the number of people in a majority, the more likely an individual is to conform, but only up to a limit. In Asch's study, conformity increased as the majority grew to seven individuals, after which adding more members caused conformity to level off and decrease slightly.

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A key question arising from conformity research is what variables determine the extent to which an individual will yield to group pressure. Identifying the factors that increase or decrease conformity is a central problem in social psychology.

Factors Influencing Conformity

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

An individual's tendency to conform is significantly shaped by situational factors. Key among these are the size of the majority group, the presence of a dissenting voice, and whether responses are given publicly or privately.

Key Influences on Conformity

Replications of Asch's conformity studies have revealed that the likelihood of an individual conforming to group pressure is influenced by personal and demographic characteristics. Key factors identified include the participant's age, gender, and socio-cultural background.

Personal and Demographic Factors Influencing Conformity

Research suggests that the overall rates of conformity may have decreased since the period of Asch's original research in the 1950s. This finding implies that societal shifts and cultural changes over time can affect the degree to which individuals conform to group pressure.

Temporal Trends in Conformity Rates

Effect of Majority Size on Conformity

The presence of at least one other dissenter in a group drastically reduces an individual's likelihood of conforming. Research shows that if even one person disagrees with the majority, conformity rates drop to near zero.

Effect of a Dissenter on Conformity

The nature of a response significantly impacts the pressure to conform. Conformity is much more likely to occur when individuals must state their responses publicly in front of others, whereas responding privately (such as by writing down an answer) reduces the likelihood of conformity.

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