Asch conformity experiment ethical issues

Series of psychology studies

In psychology, the Asch conformity experiments or the Asch paradigm were a series of studies directed by Solomon Asch studying if and how individuals yielded to or defied a majority group and the effect of such influences on beliefs and opinions.^[1][2][3][4]

Developed in the 1950s, the methodology remains in use by many researchers.

Uses include the study of conformity effects of task importance,^[5]age,^[6]sex,^{[7][8][9][10]} and culture.^[5][10]

Initial conformity experiment

Rationale

Many early studies in social psychology were adaptations of earlier work on "suggestibility" whereby researchers such as Edward L.

Thorndyke were able to shift the preferences of adult subjects towards majority or expert opinion.^[3] Still the question remained as to whether subject opinions were actually a