Why would Muzafer Sherif, a social psychologist, choose the autokinetic effect (a perceptual illusion) to study social conformity?
A) He wanted to construct a situation that was ambiguous.
B) He wanted participants to feel pressure to obey his instructions.
C) He wanted to use a dark room to foster a sense of cohesion in the group.
D) He wanted to study the influence of perceptions on social behavior.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Muzafer Sherif chose the autokinetic effect because he wanted to create a situation that was ambiguous, where people had to rely on the opinions of others to determine what was happening. The autokinetic effect is a perceptual illusion where a stationary point of light in a dark room appears to move. It is ambiguous because there is no external reference point to judge the movement, so people rely on the opinions of others to determine how much it is moving. This allows Sherif to study the influence of social norms and conformity on perception and behavior.

Why Would Muzafer Sherif, a Social Psychologist, Choose the Autokinetic