The experimental study of group pressure effect on abstract reasoning

Subject Areas : Journal of Educational Psychology

Houssien Zare ¹ , Hamid Lotfi ²

1 - 1) Faculty member of Payame Nour University
2 - 2) Faculty member of Islamic Azad University. Tonekabon Branch

Received: 2009-07-18 Accepted : 2009-10-21 Published : 2009-11-22

Keywords:

Abstract :

This test was accomplished for examining below cases: a) the effect of group pressure on abstract reasoning b) the difficulty ratio of the subjects in the reasoning of "modus tollens" c) the different ratio of the correct answer of subjects in pervious tests and present test d) the relative difference of intra group with Ash experience; subjects were selected from the undergraduates students, studies was selected by 103 people (51 people in control group and 52 people in experiment group). The random method has been applied in three levels: 1) the selection of subjects 2) assignment of subjects in control group and test group 3) determination experimental variables. Then the subjects were assessed by pretest-post test design with control group and statistic method of T test (independent analogy and with the different scores) and abstract reasoning test "Wason selection task" and experimental variable of applying mental group pressure. The results with a less than 0.001 shows that group pressure will increase the abstract error. On the other hand, experimental variable of group pressure has been caused the change of the method of subjects reasoning in group direction. Also, "test of independence ratios difference in unit population" showed that participants and more difficulty in the reasoning of the kind of "modus tollens". Also according to the changes in the research test and separation and lucidity of applications the ratio of the correct answer (0/359) of subjects was more meaningful than pervious tests. Other comparisons with Ash test and Zamani & et al test (1371) showed that a) the ratio of nonconformists in Ash test (0/26) to that ratio in this experiment (0/45) had meaningful difference. b) The ratio of perfect conformists in this experiment (0/17) to that ratio in Zamani & et al test (0/20) had not meaningful difference; but the same ratio with Ash test (0/08) is. C) The ratio subjects that in Ash test conformed at least once with group (0/74), but that ratio in this experiment was 0/55, that statistical test showed meaningful difference among them. The findings were discussed on the basis of background and the distinctions of this test and also relative natural semantic theory.