Photo AI
Describe Mori & Arai's (2010) study into conformity - Scottish Highers Psychology - Question 2(a) - 2022
Question 2(a)
Describe Mori & Arai's (2010) study into conformity. Participants were asked to replicate Asch's (1951) study without confederates. The participants wore filters w... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Describe Mori & Arai's (2010) study into conformity - Scottish Highers Psychology - Question 2(a) - 2022
Step 1
Describe Mori & Arai's (2010) study into conformity.
Answer
Mori & Arai (2010) aimed to investigate conformity using a method that did not involve confederates. This study was designed to replicate the well-known Asch (1951) line experiment but with several modifications.
In their study, participants were fitted with special glasses that altered their visual perception. This allowed all participants to observe the same stimuli while perceiving it differently.
The researchers included a diverse participant group, comprising Japanese students who were interviewed alongside individuals from different demographic backgrounds. The results showed that conformity levels varied significantly according to the perceived social identity of the participants, which highlighted the role of context and individual differences in conformity behavior.
Step 2
Evaluate Mori & Arai's (2010) study into conformity.
Answer
The evaluation of Mori & Arai's (2010) study reveals several strengths and weaknesses.
One strength is that the use of visual filters eliminates the ethical concerns associated with deception that confederates cause, thus aligning with more ethical research practices compared to Asch's original experiment.
However, a key weakness is that the ecological validity of the study may be limited, as the situation created in a laboratory might not effectively reflect real-world settings of conformity. Additionally, there could be limitations regarding the generalizability of the findings, as the majority of participants were Japanese, which may not accurately represent conformity behaviors in other cultures.
Finally, the reliance on visual perception could influence results, leading to factors that are unrelated to social pressure affecting participants’ decisions, thereby complicating the interpretation of the results.