Research Topic: Would You Follow The Crowd?

Looking for a great research topic that promotes social/emotional well-being? Solomon Asch’s series of psychology experiments in the 1960s reveals that humans will do odd things in order to fit in with the crowd. These experiments are absolute gems for helping students understand the human behavior that underlies bullying, peer pressure, drug and alcohol abuse, and becoming a victim of emotional abuse! 

Students can learn to think for themselves if they aware of the trappings of human tendencies! And they can learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy conformity all while learning how to write a great research paper.

Writing The Paper

This interactive workshop covers a full CCSS-aligned unit and teaches students how to write a research paper using MLA 8th edition format (optional).  Students are guided through each paragraph and element with highly scaffolded directions, samples, and videos. 

The Project

Students develop a BIG QUESTION and perform their own social experiment.. They might choose to find out if people are more or less likely to wear a mask when others are or are not wearing them. Or, they might try to discover how quarantine affects friendships. This unit suggests several topic ideas, but you can adapt it for any topic.

More About Asch’s Conformity Experiments  

These experiments reveal unwitting participants doing all sorts of strange things to conform to social pressure. The most famous, The Famous Elevator Experiment shows unsuspecting people turning backwards in an elevator just because everyone else was turned backwards.  The studies from these experiments reveal very interesting things about human behavior. Students can link directly from the workshop to Khan Academy videos to explore topics such as: group conformity, group think, and conformity vs. obedience. 

Personal note: After watching the videos, my students decided to create a social experiment whereby their group scattered among tables of unsuspecting students in the cafeteria. Collectively began singing the National Anthem. Their goal was to see if they could get most of the other students to join in. It worked! Talk about fun!! These kids were so excited about social experiments they talked about it for months. I feel absolutely certain that this lesson will stick with them through life!