In the WJEC AS book we have written (on page 72) Asch’s study is not an experiment and failed to explain why. It is not an experiment because the behaviour being studied (conformity) is not caused by Asch’s manipulation. Some participants conformed whereas others didn’t (a kind of dependent variable). However this difference did not depend on any independent variable – the behaviour of the confederates or the different trials (confederates giving correct answer or erroneous answer). Therefore it is not an experiment, it is a demonstration of conformity or an investigation, if we want to label it. Asch did call it an experiment but people used the term more loosely then.

In his subsequent variations Asch was conducting an experiment e.g. he varied the size of the group which had an effect on whether participants conformed or not (one confederate led to little conformity, 3 led to more). We can therefore conclude that the size of the group causes conformity.

On page 69 (baseline study, paragraph 4) I have called it an experiment! An error.

If anyone finds copies elsehwere, let us know!

Matters of psychological interest conveyed for your convenience and edification in the modern realplayer format. Bought to you by the British Broadcasting Corporation and the wonders of the electronic interweb:

Solomon Asch – Conformity

Jean Piaget – The Three Mountains

Sir Frederic Bartlett – War of The Ghosts