Outline how two variables investigated by Asch affected conformity. [4 marks]

Answer: One variable investigated by Asch was group size. He manipulated the number of confederates, varying it from 1 to 15. Asch found that the rate of conformity increased up to three confederates; however, beyond this point, conformity levels remained relatively stable.

Another variable investigated by Asch was task difficulty. He made the task easier or more difficult by adjusting the length of the comparison lines: more similar lines made the task harder, while more obvious differences made the task easier. Asch found that conformity increased when the task was more difficult and decreased when it was easier.

Examiner Comment: Students are reminded to pay close attention to the command term 'outline how'. For this question, they need to explain how each variable was investigated and describe the effect it had on the rate of conformity.