Title: An investigation into the impact of group pressure on an individual’s estimate of the amount of beads in a pot (ginger granules in a jar).
IV = Group/Individual
DV = Individual beads estimate

Abstract

This experiment investigated the impact of group pressure on the individual. The hypothesis is that group pressure does indeed impact on the individual and in this case the individual’s estimate of the number of ginger granules in a jar. Participants were asked to make a judgement of the number of ginger granules in a jar, first individually and then as a group. The individual participants were then interviewed again to see if their estimates had changed. The results proved the hypothesis that group pressure does make an impact
Participants were asked to describe what they saw i.e. the jar of ginger – colour and dimensions, in order to ensure colour blindness, other impairments, or general misunderstandings of the task would not cause any anomalies to the experiment. * Each participant was asked “please can you guess the number of ginger granules in the jar” – with no variation to this language. Strict rules were also stated, and these included that there be no touching of the jar/granules in question, no counting and a two three minute time limit was enforced. This happened in one room, and once an estimate had been received, the individual returned to the other room and the next individual collected. The question was repeated to the remaining two individuals. The estimates were recorded. * The group was then asked the same question: “please can you guess the number of ginger granules in the jar”, and the rules were restated. The figure for the group decision was recorded. * The participants were then interviewed individually once more, with the same question asked and a restatement of the rules. The estimates were recorded.

Results

Individual | Number of beads estimate (before) | Number of beads estimate (after) | Group estimate | A | 200 | 350 | 300 | B | 500 | 400 | | C | 100 | 300 | |

Graph showing the distribution of estimates in comparison to the group estimate

Discussion
As we can see from the results and graph, the estimates of