Question

How did the obedience observed in Milgram's study differ from the conformity observed in Asch's study?

Answer 1

The main difference is that Milgram's study demonstrated obedience to authority, where participants were willing to harm another person under direct orders, while Asch's study showcased conformity to peers, where individuals altered their responses to match the group.

Step-by-step explanation:

The obedience observed in Milgram's study differs from the conformity observed in Asch's study in the nature of the social influence exerted on the individuals.

Obedience in Milgram's experiment involved participants following direct orders from an authority figure to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience.

They were willing to administer what they believed were painful and potentially lethal electric shocks.

This level of obedience occurred even as the tasks conflicted with the participants' ethical beliefs, driven by the presence of an authority figure in a lab coat urging them to continue.

In contrast, conformity in Asch's study involved individuals adjusting their behavior or opinions to align with the perceived consensus of a group.

Participants in Asch's experiments were more likely to give incorrect answers to simple questions when the rest of the group (comprised of actors in on the experiment) gave the same incorrect answers, showcasing the power of peer pressure and the desire to fit in, rather than the obedience to an authority.

Answer 2

Obedience in Milgram's experiment involves complying with authority even against one's conscience, while conformity in Asch's experiment involves aligning with the group even if it contradicts one's own senses. Milgram's participants acted under authority direction, while Asch's conformed to a group norm.

Step-by-step explanation:

Differences between Obedience in Milgram's Study and Conformity in Asch's Study

Obedience and conformity are both forms of social influence, but they are manifested in different ways. In Stanley Milgram's experiment, the concept of obedience is at the foreground. Obedience refers to the change of an individual's behavior to comply with a demand by an authority figure, often due to the fear of consequences for non-compliance. Milgram's study, conducted at Yale University in 1961, found that participants were overwhelmingly willing to administer painful shocks to another person when instructed by an authority figure, highlighting the powerful influence of authority on behavior.

In contrast, Asch's conformity studies examined how individuals would align their opinions with that of a majority group, even when the group's perspective was clearly incorrect. Conformity is about adjusting behaviors or opinions to align with those of a group or societal norms. Asch's study demonstrated that people were willing to ignore their own perceptions and go along with the group to avoid conflict or disapproval.

Milgram's subjects acted under the direct command of an authority figure, whereas Asch's subjects conformed with a group consensus without explicit pressure from an authority figure.