overcome the majority. Asch found that people were willing to ignore reality and provide an incorrect answer to conform to the rest of the group
One of the reasons forming a small group is so essential, Greg told me, is that it helps to overcome the majority. How so? It goes back to a phenomenon identified in the Asch Conformity Experiment (McLeod, 2018). Solomon Asch, a pioneer of social psychology, conducted a series of experiments during the 1950s. Participants were shown a set of vertical lines labeled X, A, B, and C, and they had to say which line, A, B, or C, was the same length as line X. All participants were Asch’s assistants with pre-defined tasks before the experiment, except one. That person didn’t know all the other participants were playing along and saying the wrong answer on purpose. To experiment with how group norms may affect the group members’ viewpoint, Asch’s assistants said line X was the same length as line A. Even though it was clear that line X was the same length as line B, the participant (the one who was not aware this was an experiment) agreed with the group because the majority said line X was the same length as line A. Asch found that people were willing to ignore reality and provide an incorrect answer to conform to the rest of the group. We all know it. Usually, we make decisions based on the people surrounding us and often try to fit in. The psychological behavior we learned from this study fundamentally impacts our professional and personal lives. This is why we have to get a few small groups willing to create change to influence and win over the majority.
McLeod, Saul. “Asch Conformity Experiment.” Simply Psychology. Last modified December 28, 2018.
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