Which result from Asch's variations supports social support as a resistance to conformity?

Which result from Asch's variations supports social support as a resistance to conformity?

• A. The presence of a dissenter reduced conformity from 36.8% to 5.5%.
• B. Increasing group size always increases conformity.
• C. Conformity remained high when a dissenter appeared who agreed with the group.
• D. Conformity rose when there were two dissents.

Answer: (A)

Social support that resists conformity is shown when another person also disagrees with the group, giving the individual a reason to doubt the group pressure. In Asch’s variations, simply having a dissenter in the room dramatically reduced conformity. The rate of conforming dropped from about 37% in the baseline line-judgment task to roughly 5.5% when a dissenter was present, illustrating that one ally can weaken the pressure to align with the majority. This demonstrates how seeing someone else resist the group provides social support for dissent and makes it easier for an individual to do the same. Think of the other options as not capturing that supportive effect: simply increasing group size doesn’t guarantee more conformity, a dissenter who agrees with the group doesn’t supply resistance, and two dissents aren’t the key demonstration of this specific protective influence in Asch’s classic finding. The striking drop with a dissenter is the clearest evidence that social support can shield against normative pressure to conform.

Social support that resists conformity is shown when another person also disagrees with the group, giving the individual a reason to doubt the group pressure. In Asch’s variations, simply having a dissenter in the room dramatically reduced conformity. The rate of conforming dropped from about 37% in the baseline line-judgment task to roughly 5.5% when a dissenter was present, illustrating that one ally can weaken the pressure to align with the majority. This demonstrates how seeing someone else resist the group provides social support for dissent and makes it easier for an individual to do the same.

Think of the other options as not capturing that supportive effect: simply increasing group size doesn’t guarantee more conformity, a dissenter who agrees with the group doesn’t supply resistance, and two dissents aren’t the key demonstration of this specific protective influence in Asch’s classic finding. The striking drop with a dissenter is the clearest evidence that social support can shield against normative pressure to conform.