Psychology Experiments for AP Class: Conformity and More

Are you looking for creative and engaging psychology experiments to conduct for your Advanced Placement (AP) class? In this article, we will explore several rich and thought-provoking ideas that can help deepen your understanding of human behavior and psychology. We will start with the classic study of conformity and expand into other fascinating areas such as social influence, obedience to authority, and decision-making processes. So, let's dive in and see how we can bring these psychological phenomena to life in your AP class!

Testing Conformity: A Timeless Classic

The conformity experiment mentioned earlier is a fascinating and widely discussed concept. This experiment, much like the famous Asch conformity experiments, serves as a powerful tool to understand how individuals behave in groups. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to conduct this experiment:

Participants: Select one random participant (let's call them Participant A) who will be observed. Setting: Gather four or five friends and instruct them to volunteer for a psychology experiment. Procedure: Have all the participants sit in a circle. Pose a very easy question, such as "What is the length of the line on the board?" but have all the friends give the wrong answer. The key is to ensure that all friends give the same incorrect answer, creating a false group opinion. Data Collection: Observe and record how the random participant (A) responds, noting if they conform to the group or stand on their own.

By employing this simple yet effective experiment, you can illustrate the power of conformity and how individuals often act in ways that align with group norms, even when those norms are clearly wrong.

Beyond Conformity: Exploring Social Influence and Obedience

Consider expanding your psychology experiments beyond conformity into other areas like social influence and obedience to authority. One compelling example is the Milgram Experiment, which explored how individuals would comply with requests from authority figures, even when they posed harm to others. While conducting a full Milgram Experiment might be challenging or unethical, you can create a simplified version:

Participants: Divide the class into groups and assign roles such as a teacher (instructor) and students (subjects). Procedure: The instructor instructs the students to administer a "shock" to another participant (who is a confederate) for answering a question incorrectly. As the questions get harder, the supposed shocks become more intense. Data Collection: Track the students' reactions to see how far they are willing to comply with the instructor's demands.

By conducting this experiment, students can explore the psychological mechanisms that lead individuals to follow orders, even when they know those orders might be harmful.

Enhancing Critical Thinking: Decision-Making in Complex Situations

Another intriguing area of psychology is the study of decision-making, especially in complex or ambiguous situations. You can design an experiment to test how individuals make decisions under pressure. Here’s an example:

Scenario: Divide the class into pairs and provide them with a complex, ambiguous problem to solve, such as a puzzle or a scenario with multiple possible solutions. Procedure:Data Collection: Discuss the results and analyze why certain individuals made quick but potentially incorrect decisions, while others took more time to deliberate but arrived at a more accurate solution.

By engaging in this type of decision-making experiment, students can learn about the cognitive processes behind decision-making and how pressure affects their choices.

Conclusion

Conducting psychology experiments in your AP class can provide a rich, hands-on learning experience. From the classic conformity experiments to more subtle explorations of social influence and decision-making, there are numerous ways to create meaningful and engaging experiments. Encourage your students to think critically and introspect, and you will foster a deeper understanding of psychological concepts.

Remember, the goal of these experiments is not just to learn about psychology but to apply those concepts to everyday life. Encourage students to reflect on their findings and discuss how these psychological principles can be observed in real-world scenarios.