Final answer:
Solomon Asch concluded that people conform because they want to be liked or they believe the group is better informed. He found that having an ally in the group greatly reduces conformity. His work emphasizes the effects of social influences on individual behavior and decision-making.
Step-by-step explanation:
Psychologist Solomon Asch studied conformity and found that people conform for two main reasons. The first is the need for acceptance in a group, wanting to be liked. The second reason is that they believe the group has better information than they do, implying that they think the group is better informed than they are. Through his studies, Asch discovered that group dynamics, such as the presence of an ally, can significantly affect whether an individual conforms.
Asch's experiments revealed that when one other person in the group provided a wrong answer, individuals were more likely to speak up. However, when the group consensus was nearly unanimous in the wrong answer, conformity increased unless the subject had an ally, in which case conformity decreased significantly. This finding underscores the impact of social influences on individual decision-making.
Moreover, Asch was troubled by the implication that our education system and societal values might not be preparing individuals to think critically and stand against group pressure. His work continues to be relevant today, as it sheds light on how social dynamics can influence our choices and behaviors.