READING TEST 16 PART 1

PASSAGE 1

In an experiment designed to study the effect of majority opinion, even when it is contrary to fact, small groups of subjects observed a standard straight line, and then judged which of three other lines equaled it in length. One of the other lines was longer, one shorter, one equal to the standard; the differences were great enough that threshold judgments were not involved.

All but one member of each group had been instructed to agree upon a wrong answer for a majority of the trials. The experimental subject was thus pitted against a majority, and the subject's problem was whether to disagree with the majority, or to doubt his or her own judgment and agree. Many subjects refused to change, and continued to hold to their independent appraisals. But a substantial number yielded under pressure from the others' apparent judgments. The amount of yielding depended upon the clarity of conditions lack of clarity led to conformity to majority opinion, individual differences, and the size and unanimity of the opposition. With the opposition of only one other person there was very little yielding; with tow against one the amount of yielding became pronounced; and a majority of three was nearly as effective as larger majorities against the lone dissenter.