RESEARCH SUPPORT FOR INFORMATIONAL SOCIAL INFLUENCE: There is strong research support for informational social influence. Jenness (1932) asked participants to estimate the number of white beans in a jar individually before discussing their answers in groups. When given a second opportunity to estimate individually, most participants changed their original answers, bringing them closer to the group estimate. This suggests that participants conformed because they believed the group had more knowledge collectively and was more likely to be correct, demonstrating the power of informational social influence.

RESEARCH SUPPORT NORMATIVE SOCIAL INFLUENCE: Normative social influence is also supported by research. Asch (1955) found that participants gave visibly incorrect answers on a line judgement task due to the influence of a larger group of confederates. Post-experiment interviews revealed that many participants conformed to fit in and avoid social rejection, supporting the idea that normative social influence occurs when individuals change their behaviour to gain group acceptance.

CONFORMITY IN THE REAL WORLD:  Field experiments have demonstrated the power of normative social influence in real-world settings. Schultz et al. (2008) studied hotel guests to determine whether perceived group behaviour could influence environmentally friendly actions, such as towel reuse. Guests were randomly assigned to either a control or experimental condition. The control group received information on the environmental benefits of reusing towels, while the experimental group received additional information stating that 75% of guests reuse their towels each day. Guests in the experimental group were 25% less likely to request fresh towels daily, demonstrating that people conform to perceived group norms, even in everyday situations.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES:  Research also highlights the importance of individual differences in conformity. Perrin and Spencer (1980) replicated Asch's experiment using engineering and mathematics students. They found only one instance of conformity in 396 trials. This may be due to the students' confidence in their abilities within the task, suggesting that individual differences, such as confidence and knowledge, can significantly influence conformity. This also indicates that Asch's original findings may not provide a fully accurate or universal view of conformity.