A psychologist investigated whether self-esteem and hippocampal volume could explain conformity. Forty adults completed a questionnaire about their self-esteem and had their hippocampal volume measured in a brain scan. Each participant then answered questions after hearing a unanimous group answer in two different group sizes. The researcher recorded whether each participant changed their answer to match the group.
| Self-esteem group | Mean hippocampal volume | Conformed with a three-person majority | Conformed with an eight-person majority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Higher self-esteem (20 participants) | 4.2 cm³ | 6 (30%) | 14 (70%) |
| Lower self-esteem (20 participants) | 3.5 cm³ | 12 (60%) | 18 (90%) |
Use the information in the table to explain two weaknesses of the claim that dispositional factors explain conformity.
76 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Psychology 4.2 Theories/Explanations, covering 4.2.1 Situational factors on conformity and crowds, 4.2.2 Situational factors on culture and obedience; criticisms, 4.2.3 Situational Factors research study: Bickman (1974), 4.2.4 Dispositional factors on conformity, crowds, morality, obedience, 4.2.5 Brain in dispositional factors; criticisms, and 4.2.6 Dispositional Factors research study: NatCen (2011). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.