Conformity » Task Difficulty Effects

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

How task difficulty affects conformity levels
The key studies investigating task difficulty effects
Real-world applications of task difficulty effects
How to evaluate research on task difficulty and conformity
How to apply this knowledge to exam questions

Task Difficulty Effects on Conformity

When we're faced with a difficult task, we're more likely to look to others for guidance. This is a key factor that affects how much we conform in social situations. In this session, we'll explore how the difficulty of a task can significantly influence conformity levels.

Key Definitions:

Conformity: Changing your behaviour or beliefs to match those of others.
Task difficulty: How challenging a task is to complete correctly.
Informational social influence: Conforming because you believe others know better than you.

💡 The Basic Principle

When tasks are difficult or ambiguous, we're more likely to conform because we're less confident in our own judgement. We look to others for the "right" answer, assuming they know better than we do.

🤔 Why It Happens

Difficult tasks create uncertainty. When we're uncertain, we rely on others for guidance. This is a form of informational social influence - we conform because we believe others have better information than we do.

Key Research: Asch's Line Study

Solomon Asch's famous line study (1951) provides important insights into how task difficulty affects conformity. In his original experiments, participants had to match the length of a line to one of three comparison lines - a relatively simple task.

The Original Asch Experiment

In Asch's classic study, participants were asked to match the length of a line to one of three comparison lines. This was an easy task when done alone - people got it right 99% of the time. But when confederates (actors) unanimously gave the wrong answer, participants conformed about 32% of the time.

Study Spotlight: Asch (1951)

Asch used 123 male college students. They sat in a room with 7 confederates who all gave wrong answers on certain trials. The task was simple - match line lengths that were clearly visible. Despite the simplicity, 75% of participants conformed at least once and the overall conformity rate was 32%.

Task Difficulty Variations

Researchers have modified Asch's procedure to investigate how task difficulty affects conformity rates. The results consistently show that harder tasks lead to more conformity.

📉 Easy Tasks

When tasks are easy (like Asch's original line task), conformity occurs mainly due to normative influence - fear of being different.

📊 Moderate Tasks

With moderately difficult tasks, conformity increases as people become less confident in their judgement.

📋 Difficult Tasks

With very difficult tasks, conformity rates can reach 50% or higher as people rely heavily on others for the "correct" answer.

Evidence for Task Difficulty Effects

Crutchfield's Research (1955)

Richard Crutchfield modified Asch's procedure to test various types of judgements. He found that conformity was highest on difficult opinion questions and complex visual judgements and lowest on simple factual questions.

Case Study Focus: Crutchfield's Findings

Crutchfield found conformity rates of:
- 30% for simple factual questions
- 46% for difficult visual judgements
- 58% for complex opinion questions
This clearly demonstrates how task difficulty increases conformity.

Coleman, Blake and Mouton (1958)

These researchers directly tested how task difficulty affects conformity. They created two versions of a line-judgement task:

👀 Easy Condition

Lines differed in length by 2 inches (5cm) - very noticeable.

🧐 Difficult Condition

Lines differed in length by only 0.25 inches (0.6cm) - much harder to judge.

The results were striking: conformity was significantly higher in the difficult condition (46%) compared to the easy condition (23%).

Real-World Applications

Understanding how task difficulty affects conformity helps explain many real-world situations:

🎓 Education

Students are more likely to copy others' answers on difficult exam questions. This is why exam supervisors pay special attention during challenging subjects or questions.

💼 Workplace Decisions

When faced with complex business decisions, people often go along with the group or leader's opinion rather than voicing their own thoughts.

🗺 Unfamiliar Situations

When in a new country or unfamiliar setting, people often copy locals' behaviour because they're uncertain about the correct way to act.

📺 Media Influence

People are more likely to accept media opinions on complex topics (like economics or science) than on simple everyday matters.

Evaluating the Research

Strengths of Task Difficulty Research

Experimental control: Most studies use controlled laboratory conditions, allowing researchers to isolate the effect of task difficulty.
Consistent findings: Multiple studies show the same pattern - harder tasks lead to more conformity.
Real-world applications: The findings help explain conformity in many everyday situations.

Limitations of Task Difficulty Research

Artificial tasks: Line judgements and similar tasks may not reflect real-life conformity situations.
Individual differences: Some people are less affected by task difficulty than others.
Cultural factors: Most research was conducted in Western societies, which tend to value individualism more than collectivist cultures.

Exam Application: Task Difficulty

When answering exam questions about conformity, remember to mention task difficulty as a key factor. For example: "The participant was more likely to conform because the task was difficult, creating uncertainty. This led to informational social influence as they looked to others for the correct answer."

Combining Factors: Task Difficulty and Other Influences

Task difficulty doesn't operate in isolation. Its effects on conformity can be strengthened or weakened by other factors:

👥 Group Size

Difficult tasks combined with larger groups create the highest conformity rates.

💬 Unanimity

When a group is unanimous on a difficult task, conformity is particularly strong.

💪 Self-Confidence

People with high self-confidence are less affected by task difficulty than those with low confidence.

Summary: Key Points to Remember

Task difficulty is a major factor affecting conformity levels.
Harder tasks lead to more conformity because they create uncertainty.
This effect works through informational social influence - we look to others for the "right" answer.
Research by Asch, Crutchfield and Coleman et al. consistently shows this pattern.
Task difficulty effects explain conformity in many real-world situations, from education to workplace decisions.
The effect can be strengthened or weakened by other factors like group size and individual confidence.

Quick Revision Tip

Remember this simple formula: Greater task difficulty = More uncertainty = Higher conformity. This relationship is key to understanding and explaining conformity in different situations.

🧠 Test Your Knowledge!