Final answer:
People are most likely to conform to group opinion to avoid conflict. Asch's research showed the Asch effect, where group size, unanimity, and the presence of an ally can influence an individual's likelihood to conform.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on Solomon Asch's studies on conformity, when individuals encounter a group opinion that contradicts their own, they are most likely to conform to the group opinion to avoid conflict (option a). Asch identified two primary reasons for this tendency to conform: the desire to be liked by the group and the belief that the group is better informed. His findings demonstrated that even intelligent, well-educated individuals could be swayed to accept untruths with minimal pressure, an observation that highlighted potential issues in the education system and societal values.
Notably, Asch also discovered that the likelihood of an individual conforming decreased significantly if they had at least one ally in the group who shared their opinion. The results showed a dramatic decrease in conformity when the subject could record their answer privately rather than stating it aloud, emphasizing the influence of public scrutiny in the Asch effect. Asch's research suggested that group size and unanimity significantly affect an individual's propensity to yield to group pressure. These groundbreaking studies paved the way for further research on the factors that influence conformity, such as the majority size, the presence of dissenters, and the public or private nature of responses.