A Laboratory Research Report on Conformity and Cultural Differences

This laboratory research report investigates the influence of culture on conformity, drawing on the principles of social psychology and building upon Asch's original conformity experiments. The study involved 224 undergraduate students divided into collectivist and individualist cultural groups. Participants completed a line judgment task, both independently and with the perceived influence of confederates. The results indicated that individuals from collectivist cultures exhibited higher levels of conformity compared to those from individualist cultures, particularly in trials where confederate responses were inaccurate. The discussion interprets these findings in the context of social dynamics, group size, and the role of dissenters, highlighting the importance of cultural factors in shaping conformity behavior. Desklib offers students access to this report and other solved assignments for comprehensive study support.

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Abstract
The below study has been assessed following the methods mentioned in the O'Shea &
McKenzie’s handbook. Social psychology basically stands for social interactions, which aids
an individual to behave in proper way in front of others. In the current study, the focus is
made on highlighting social psychology, besides showing its importance. Additionally, it is
noted that social psychology is basically aimed towards maintaining the relationship between
each another and also helps to identify human behaviours. However, it can be seen that social
psychology helps in maintaining the conformity between workplace and the work culture as
well. It can also beneficial for the improvement of the ability that can help to analyse the
characteristics. Moreover, this study mainly conducts its research with the help of two groups
with 224 participants (89 males and 139 females). However, with the help of these two
groups, the study wants to evaluate the differences between cultural importances on the
conformity.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................4
Method.......................................................................................................................................4
Results........................................................................................................................................5
Discussion..................................................................................................................................7
Reference list............................................................................................................................12

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Introduction
The conformity mainly stands for the act of matching behaviours, attitudes and beliefs
in the context of group norms. Likewise, the norms are specific rules and implicitly shared by
one group of individuals which guide the interaction with each other. Moreover, it also
recognised as one type of social influence associated with the change in beliefs along with
behaviour in the context of fitting within any group. The current report mainly aims to
analyse the findings on conformity from the previous study and its existence in contemporary
society. With reference to the process of lab report explanation of O’ Shea, the researcher
tried to proceed with the study. O’ Sheas manual specifies writing a lab report in 4 different
chapters/broad heads (O'Shea & McKenzie, 2012). Likewise, this study has even been
segmented into 4 major heads besides the reference list. Apart from this the study also wants
to determine the role of culture related to strengthening the conformity. However, the study
mainly emphasised on the influencing factor of conformity which can shape the social
dynamics. Furthermore, it also emphasis on the conformity strength between individuals
related to an individualist compared to collectivist culture.
Method
Participants
Participants were 224 (85 male and 139 female) undergraduate students from an
Australian tertiary education institution. All participants were required to be over 18 years of
age and participated in return for credit as part of a unit of study. Failure to participate did not
impact the participants’ progression in the unit of study. The mean age of the participants was
27.62 years (SD = 3.38); male mean age was 28.52 years (SD = 2.14), and the female mean
age was 26.85 years (SD = 3.86).
Materials
The conformity task used in this experiment was modelled on the original work of
Asch (1956). Here participants were presented with a target line to the left of the screen and
asked to select one of three test lines located on the right of the screen that most closely
matched the target line on the left. Participants indicated their choice amongst the three lines
by selecting the corresponding letter key on the computer keyboard.
On half of the trials presented (n=48), participants made their judgement based solely on the
line stimuli presented (SELF-trials), while on the other half of the trial's participants were
able to view the responses of five confederate responders listed to the far right of the screen

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(CONFEDERATE trials). See Figure 1 for a depiction of the two trial conditions.
TheCONFEDERATE trials were designed to mimic the Asch (1956) condition where the
participant was required to respond to the stimuli in the presence of five in-person
confederates. In the current study, the Confederates were not in-person responders, but rather
responses pre-selected by the experimenters and presented to all participants on the same
trials. To begin, all CONFEDERATE trials included responses that accurately indicated the
matching test line. Following the first seven trials, the remaining trials were divided between
accurate (35%) and inaccurate (65%) responses.
Figure 1. Depiction of the two trial stimulus conditions (a) SELF trials where the participant
is provide with no information about other responders selections and (b) CONFEDERATE
trials where the responses of five confederates are provided.
Procedure
Participants were seated before a computer screen at an approximate distance of 40-
50cm. Participants responded throughout the task using the computer keyboard by pressing
the keys [A], [B] and [C] to indicate their response on the experimental trials. Participants
were required to log onto a secure server, Inquisit, which hosted the entire experiment. The
experiment was divided into two stages; demographic questionnaire which collected
information about participant gender, age, cultural background, level of education and
household income (Stage 1), and the conformity task (Stage 2). Participation took
approximately 25 minutes.
Results
a. b.

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Prior to running the statistical analyses, all data were screened for normality. As a
result of missing data, the responses of 205 participants were retained for further analysis.
Following the removal of the data of one participant, identified as a univariate outlier, the
data was once again screened for normality and homogeneity of variance with no violations
present.
The data were collapsed into two groups, collectivist and individualist, according to
the work of Hofstede (1980) and a t-test was conducted to determine whether a difference
existed in the level of conformity between the two cultural groups. Conformity was
determined by comparing the number of incorrect responses selected by a participant when
completing SELF compared to CONFEDERATE trials.
Initial analyses revealed that in general, levels of conformity in this experiment were
quite low, that is, when a participant made an error in line selection the error was not
necessarily unique to responses made on CONFEDERATE trials; that is, participants made
errors on trials where their decisions were based entirely on their own judgement and not
impacted by confederates. On those trials where errors were made on CONFEDERATE trials
approximately 35% of the errors were in agreement with the confederate responses, while
65% of errors were different to the confederate responses. Interestingly, on appraisal of trials
where the Target Line did not match with any of the Match Lines (No Match Trials), the
responses of the confederate selection did appear to be of greater influence. Specifically,
onNo Match Trials 81% of participant responses matched that of the confederates.
An analysis of the influence of culture on the conformity exhibited by participants
was significant. As can be seen in Figure 2, individuals belonging to collectivist cultures
tended to make more errors in CONFEDERATE trials than did individuals from individualist
cultures. Importantly, the incorrect decisions made by individuals belonging to a collectivist
culture matched the selection of the Confederates on the trial. That is, these individuals did
not merely make the wrong decision but instead that wrong decision was in line with the
confederate majority. This suggests that individuals from individualist cultures are less
impacted by the implied presence of others (n=34% of CONFEDERATE trials) and are more
likely to oppose an opinion held by the (implied) majority than individuals from collectivist
cultures (n=55% of CONFEDERATE trials).

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Figure 2. The mean number of incorrect responses (%) made in the CONFEDERATE
condition for individuals from collectivist and individualist cultures where the response was
consistent with the confederate line selection.
Discussion
Social psychology is one of the important factors that help to deal with social
interaction. Furthermore, it can also be seen that the main strength of the conformity is
basically based on the group size and the presence of the dissenters. It can be analysed that
social psychology also helps to maintain the fact such as time management, build up effective
communication. At the same time it also beneficial for the analysis of the current situation. In
the present context, it can be an analysis that, the statistical analysis is mainly done for the
normality using the data screened. It can also be noted that the total amount of responded is
205 which are also in gold process. As per the commented by Methot, Melwani & Rothman
(2017), social psychology also helps to influence the factor of conformity that can help to
analyse the respondents and the completed task as well.
The social psychology also maintains the conformity between the schools, workplace,
sporting groups and the families as well. As per the analysis, it is noted that the collapsed is
basically based on the two different groups that help to identify the difference between those
groups. Similarly, the two different groups are collectivist and the individualism that can
evaluate the different existed level of conformity. In the perspective of Hofstede (1980), it
basically helps to conducted to determine the process of comparing. Additionally, it can be

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noted that it also compares the two processes such as, Hofstede and the t-test which also
helps to identify the incorrect responses.
After analysis, the incorrect responses the selected responses are prepared to complete
the task and they also prepared through the self compared to confederate trials. The initial
analysis can found the total respondents and also identify the incorrect responses. After
completing the initial stage it can be an analysis that, the general participants is mainly done
the conformity which is very low. In the perspective of Methot, Melwani & Rothman (2017)
that the participant is also doing the mistakes during the selection process. Besides that, the
participants also rectify their error and make a successful experiment. In the perspective of
McDonald & Crandall (2015), the analysis also was done with the help to T-test and the
Hofstede that can help to identify the conformity of social psychology.
In order to maintain the general conformity level of social psychology then it is
important to maintain the Confederate trials that can help to identify the correct participants.
It is also analysed that the participant did the trials with their own judgments. As stated by
Mojtahedi Ioannou & Hammond (2018) there was no negative impact on the confederates
that can affect on the conformity of the participants. However, it can also analyse that among
all the trials it can be seen that, approximately 35% of error in the agreement with the
confederate responses. At the same time, 65% of errors are different from the confederate
responses.
Similarly, it can also found that social psychology has a positive impact on the
workplace that it mainly helps to motivate the employees and also helps to analyse the
business design products. As per the view of Morgan, Laland & Harris (2015) the social
psychology is also beneficial in the school purpose that it contains the conformity of the
school and also helps to build up an effective communication.. In addition to this, it can be
analysed that social psychology helps to identify the problem and also helps to solve the
problems. Social psychology provides the different levels of self esteems in the academic
area that can be beneficial to improve the academic scores.
Besides that, it can also analyse that social psychology also helps to motivate the
participants that mainly related to different levels of achievement. After analysis of the whole
process, it can be seen that 81% of participants are more effective and matched with the
Confederates. In the perspective of Gorodnichenko & Roland (2017), psychology basically
helps to identify the behaviours of the participants and also helps to improve the

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performances. Moreover, it can also found that social psychology is an important factor that
can help to evaluate the performances and also helps maintain the human's behaviour as well.
The social psychological is basically helps to identify the characteristics of human
behaviors and also maintain the improvement of the participants. Social psychology is also
helping to identify the appraisal of the trials where the target line did not match with other
target lines (American Psychological Association, 2015). Moreover, it also seen that social
psychology plays a significant role that can help to maintain increase the profitability.
In the perspective of Methot, Melwani & Rothman (2017), social psychology has a
positive impact on the individual collectivist. According to social psychology also helps to
maintain the online relationship of the participant and also helps to identify the factors that
can evaluate the process if analysis.
However, the collectivist culture mainly emphasis on the goals and needs of a group
entirely over the desires and needs of each individual. Likewise, this culture shows that the
relationship with other members of that particular group along with the interconnectedness
among the peoples (Van Leeuwen et al., 2015). Besides, the collectivistic culture traits
mainly emphases on the social rules which focus on the community need putting and
selflessness promoting ahead of the individual needs. Therefore, it can be analysed that such
kind of culture supports the concept of conformity based on the supporting of every
individual. \
Furthermore, the other characteristics of the collectivist cultural group were
● It works as a group by supporting others also
● In this group, the peoples were encouraged to do the best for society
● Communities and families hold the central role
Therefore it can be analysed that the group of the people were good, helpful, generous
and attentive to the needs of each other. Besides, it helps to build a strong social relationship
with each other by helping each other (Hong et al., 2016). On the other hand, the individualist
cultural group is recognised as a society which can be characterized by the individualism.
Therefore, it can be analysed such kind of culture could not be able to form unity among a
group of people.
Moreover, it also can be analysed that the peoples of this group were unable to fulfil the
desires of the entire group because such kind of culture only based on individual
requirements fulfilment. Therefore, it can understand that such kind of culture can create
barriers for growth or development within the organisations, schools etc. Moreover, this

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culture did not support the factors of selflessness which affects negatively on the
organisational culture or work culture (Mneimneh et al., 2015). Therefore, it also can
understand that the culture of the collectivist group was the most effective culture rather than
individualist culture to influence the conformity.
However, the level of conformity mainly based on three levels in the context of group
norms such as internalization, compliance and identification which influence the social
norms. The social norms play an important role in the conformity based on the differences
between collectivist group culture and individualistic group culture (Voyer et al., 2017).
Collectivist culture mainly contrasted with the individualistic culture in the context of their
nature or characteristics. Therefore, it can be analysed that such kind of cultural differences
may influence various aspect of the social functions which impacts on the conformity.
However, such kind of findings from the previous study based on conformity psychology
helped to analyse the contemporary cultural and behavioural influences within society. As an
example, the employees who lived in the collectivist culture might strive for sacrificing their
happiness to fulfil the objectives of the group (Buechel, Hellmann & Klößner, 2015). On the
other hand, the peoples from individualist culture only focused on their own feeling along
with goals for carrying greater weight. Therefore, it can be analysed that the collectivist
culture holds more influencing power rather than individualist culture.
The study of cross-cultural psychology shows how the cultural differences impacts on a
different kind of aspect relating to behaviour. The study shows that culture mainly influences
how people behave by evaluating their self-concept (American Psychological Association,
2015). On the other hand, the individualist culture may describe them in term of personality
traits along with characteristics (Tomasello, 2016). In addition to this, the collectivist cultures
were also associated with the low relational mobility which helps to describe the number of
opportunities individuals within a society in the context of forming relationship along with
the people of their choosing.. On the contrary, in a collectivist culture, it was very difficult to
make a relationship with new people. The collectivist culture recognised the new ones as a
stranger; therefore, it can be said that in the collectivist culture it was very difficult to enter
within the community.

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Therefore it can be said that the collectivist culture has recognized the new ones in a
proper way. The identification was done as a stranger. It can be analysed from the situation
that there was a difficult for the overall collectivist group in order of situating themselves
with the community. Therefore they need to adjust to the situation and the environment in
order to reside in the specific community. It was previously said that the culture that is
carried with the collectivist group is more mature and collaborating in nature. They are far
way better than the individual group as a whole. Therefore the collectivist group will not
much time in adjusting with the new environment of the community (Tomasello, 2016).
[Referred to Appendix C]
The relationship will take a bit more time to mature as of the new geographical area
and also with strangers. This will initiate a further bonding with the neighbours as well as the
environment. It will also nurture the behaviour and all other perspectives that are associated
with or pre-exist with the collectivist group. This will develop the organization and will lead
to better future collaboration. As discussed earlier that the characteristics of the cultural group
are supporting, encouraging and play a central role in the community. These generally
emphasize the basic social psychological factors to embrace each group with its cultural
diversities. The positive vibes and supportive character of the collectivist group will also
make a positive impact on the environment. Therefore these qualities will be accepted by the
new environment and will also make a quality understanding.

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References list
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Gorodnichenko, Y., & Roland, G. (2017). Culture, institutions, and the wealth of
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