Conformity can be defined as "a change in a persons behaviour or opinions as a result of a real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people"1(Aronson 1988).
             Many studies have taken place to see why people conform. This essay will look at some of the studies with a close examination and evaluation of Sherif, Asch, Moscovici, and Zimbrado's studies.
             There are two types of conformity, which can be defined as Normative Conformity and Informational Conformity.
             Normative conformity "a desire to be liked"2 being part of a group one conforms to be approved and accepted by others. Informational conformity, when someone is unsure they turn to others for evidence of the appropriate response. "we look to others whom we believe to be correct"3
             Sherif used a visual illusion known as the auto-kinetic effect. Sherif told his subjects that a spot of light which they were about to see in a dark room, would move, he then wanted them to say the direction and distance of the movement. The subjects were tested individually first, then he put his subjects into groups of three.
             In the first experiment some subjects said the movement wasn't very far in any direction, others said it was inches. In the second test subjects results started to converge much nearer with each other then what their results individually gave. This showed that members of the group conformed to each others reports.
             Subjects were asked how far the dot moved, but in fact the dot didn't even move.
             Low Ecological Validity, it was an artificial task in a artificial environment.
             Demand Characteristics "Occurs when participants try to make sense of the situation they find themselves in and act accordingly.....these may threaten the validity of an experiment seriously"4
             The problem with this study of conformity is that in a total artificial situation there will not be a right answer.
             Similar study and result...