Abstract
This paper analyzes the Asch studies of the nineteen-fifties, which evaluated the influence of group pressure. The author discusses the results of the Asch studies, assesses the desire of people for conformity, and concludes that the Asch studies were valuable even though they were limited in scope.

Tags:asch, study, analysis

Abstract
This essay is a summary of Solomon Asch's article "Opinions and Social Pressure."

From the Paper
"Solomon Asch's thesis in his essay, "Opinions and Social Pressure", is that people tend to conform to a group even when that group's observations contradict their own perceptions. Asch's essay starts by noting that people are shaped by the influence of society. They learn the language and practices of their own societal group and the author asks how much this group also affects people's opinions and attitudes. Asch notes that inquiry into this question started with French physician, Jean Martin..."

Tags:Solomon Asch, conformity, perception, observation, summary, opinions, social pressure

Abstract
Mike Gold and Sholem Asch were contemporaries but worlds apart. Gold, born on the Lower East Side in New York City, was pure American while Asch remained a European whose concerns were more with the Jewish shtetl than the tenements of Gold's world. Their paths crossed, however, in the subjects of Gold's autobiographical novel, "Jews Without Money" and of the film, "Uncle Moses", based on Asch's novel. While Gold's work is mainly anecdotal as opposed to the rather histrionic drama of the film, both examine the disparity between the old world and the new, the politics of strikes and socialism that were brewing at the time and both also celebrate the tremendous strength of the Jewish community.

Abstract
The paper reviews Christopher Asch's "The Senator and the Sharecropper: The Freedom Struggles of James O. Eastland and Fannie Lou Hamer".

From the Paper
"Christopher Asch appears to have transformed a doctoral dissertation comparing the views and experiences of two famous Mississippi figures from the civil rights movement era into a full length nonfiction text. This is Asch's first published book. It is clear from his introduction that the book was written in order to provide a contrast between the lived experiences of an affluent, powerful..."

Tags:civil rights, Mississippi, John Eastland, Fannie Lou Hamer

Abstract
This papers reviews three fiction and non-fiction texts reflecting Jewish history, culture, literature, arts, and theology. The author analyzes each texts' contribution to Jewish studies and offers a personal reflection on each of the three works.

From the Paper
"The authors effectively demonstrate that this is sometimes a very tricky balance, not unlike an attempt to walk a tightrope, since so many factors and people's opinions need to be considered. In my opinion, this was most clearly shown in three "case studies" of issues (gender equality, Sunday Shabbat services, and Reform rabbis' officiation of interfaith marriages) that have been debated in Reform circles. Incidentally, I was fascinated by the idea of Sunday Shabbat services, mainly because they seem so "un-Jewish" and because I'd never heard of this mostly unsuccessful experiment.
"I appreciated reading about the beginnings of Reform Judaism and its pioneers (Jacobson and Zunz), since this provided added depth and a clearer understanding of the movement's roots. The authors seem to specifically emphasize the difficulties regarding national identities, since many Reform Jews were (and are) patriotic to their countries of citizenship yet also feel loyalty to Judaism. This conflict seems to have been embodied by contrasting attitudes towards Zionism."

Tags:judaism, jews, zionism, religious, shabbat

Abstract
The paper discusses how radiology currently has unprecedented opportunities to participate in research, which are mainly the result of new technologies and newer imaging methods that Thrall (2006) terms a technological tsunami. The paper reveals that the entire basis of all success in radiology, whether diagnostic or interventional, is research (Baerlocher & Asch, 2004). The paper notes that perfect research would only be possible in an ideal world, but adherence to ethical principles does allow us to approximate objectivity and avoid many types of bias (Eng 1997). The paper goes on to show how magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) when used for research purposes related to medical diagnosis, cognitive and neuroscience research, involves significant ethical issues pertaining to the protection of human subjects with relation to the administration of MRI imaging and the use of facilities.

From the Paper
"Radiology currently has unprecedented opportunities to participate in research, which are mainly the result of new technologies and newer imaging methods that Thrall (2006) terms a technological tsunami. The entire basis of all success in radiology, whether diagnostic or interventional, is research (Baerlocher & Asch, 2004). As is observed in the limitations sections of research studies, perfect research would only..."

Tags:ethics, mri, research

Abstract
The paper looks at several landmark psychological experiments and national events that have illustrated the negative potential of social conformity and obedience, including Solomon Asch's experiments, the Stanford prison experiment and how members of the American Armed Forces stationed at the Abu Ghraib detention facility in Iraq engaged in systematic abuse and torture of prisoners of war. The paper also discusses how advertising is most often designed to stimulate conformity through informational influence and finally, examines the individual and societal influences leading to deviance from group norms.

Outline:
Conformity and Obedience
Classical Study of Group Influence on the Individual
Contemporary Example of Group Influence on the Individual
Individual and Societal Influences Leading to Deviance from Group Norms

From the Paper
"In the early 1950s, psychologist Solomon Asch (1907-1996) demonstrated the power of group influence and the susceptibility of the individual to blind conformity. Asch's experiments involved subjects within groups of confederates all of whom agreed unanimously on an obviously wrong answer, such as the comparative lengths of two lines depicted in a drawing. Those experiments revealed that many subjects will change their answer and support the group's consensus instead of maintaining their original position without being influenced by the group (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).
"It is thought that various factors determine whether or not (or to what degree) different people are susceptible to group influence. Generally, the size of the group, its degree of unanimity, its relative social status, and variation in aspects of individual psychology in the realm of self-esteem and confidence all contribute to the power of the group to influence the individual in specific cases (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008).
"In 1970, psychologist Phillip Zimbardo conducted the (now) famous Stanford Prison Experiment in which psychology study volunteers were randomly assigned to be prisoners or prison guards in a simulated prison facility created for the experiment. Without any direction from Zimbardo, the guard group followed the lead of the most dominant individuals and the individual guards became so abusive to their fellow classmates playing the roles of prisoners that Zimbardo had to stop the experiment barely halfway through its scheduled two-week run."

Tags:Stanford, prison, Abu, Ghraib, advertising, norms

Abstract
An examination of how the themes of obedience and conformity are reflected in society, as well as in George Orwell's novel, "1984." The paper explains the nature of society's influence on the individual.

From the Paper
"In George Orwell's frightening account of a society not too far removed from our own we find ourselves considering the nature of society's influence upon the individual and how that might be affected via propaganda, rhetoric advertisement or authority. The same notions have been considered by psychologists for quite some time."

Tags:milgram, asch, lessing, conformity, obedience, 1984, 0rwell

Abstract
This paper examines how the presence of others affects our performance and behavior. The author argues that the presence of others effects simple/practiced tasks and complex ones differently. Included is an analysis of group consensus and conformity, social impact theory, and a look at possible outcomes such as: diffusion of responsibility and pluralistic ignorance.

From the paper:

"Our behavior is influenced in many ways by the actions, views and mere presence of those around us. Many studies in Social Psychology have been carried out on how this influence effects us and how much. It seems that the presence of an audience is beneficial only when the task at hand is simple or well practiced. If not, the audience causes performance to get worse. When acting as part of a group, individuals tend to conform to a common group consensus. This is especially the case when such a consensus in unanimous. However, minorities do have the ability to change group norms or perceptions. Individuals are less likely to help those who maybe in trouble when there are other potential helpers around. This is mainly due to pluralistic ignorance and diffusion of responsibility. Social impact theory states that the level of influence on an individual depends on the number, status and proximity of the observers as well as on whether he is acting alone or with others."

Tags:asch, baron, bystander, conformity, cottrell, diffusion, fright, ignorance, impact, intervention, pluralistic, responsibility, sherif, social, stage, theory, zajonc