“Everyone Else Was Doing It”: What Asch’s Conformity Study Teaches Us About Peer Pressure

The Pull of the Crowd

Ever noticed how kids suddenly “must” have the same sneakers as their friends? Or how a work meeting can go strangely silent until the boss speaks and everyone nods along?

That’s conformity—the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) pressure to go along with the group. It’s not just for teenagers; adults feel it in workplaces, friend groups, and families too.

Enter Solomon Asch: The Conformity Experiment

1950s social psychology at its most revealing.

• The setup: Participants viewed a target line and chose the matching line from three options—an easy task.
• The trick: Confederates (actors) deliberately gave the same wrong answer before the real participant responded.
• The result: About 75% conformed at least once, choosing the wrong answer to align with the group.

The desire to fit in often outweighed the desire to be correct.

Why It Matters Today

• Kids/teens: Pressure to vape, exclude a peer, or follow the crowd.
• Adults: “Everyone stays late” culture, risky group decisions, or silence in meetings.
• Alcohol/substances: “Everyone’s drinking” can override personal limits.
• Behaviours & tech: gaming, gambling, or social media use reinforced by group norms.
• Bullying & bystanders: silence can signal acceptance; speaking up shifts group norms.

“Go along to get along” can carry real costs—for wellbeing, ethics, and learning.

Standing Your Ground: Kids & Workers

How Parents Can Help Kids Resist Peer Pressure

• Role-play assertive “no thanks” and topic-switching lines.
• Values first: praise choices that reflect their own judgment.
• Find an ally: one supportive friend reduces conformity.
• Model it: calmly demonstrate respectful disagreement.

How Workers Can Resist Conformity at Work

• Pause & check: “Do I agree, or am I aligning?”
• Invite a dissent norm: ask, “What’s the strongest counter-argument?”
• Find a second voice: a single dissenter slashes conformity rates.
• Document decisions: write reasons; it reduces bandwagon effects.
• Prepare to be assertive: Prepare how to say I disagree in an assertive but constructive way "From my experience/perspective, I was considering this option..." or "I'm wondering what it might be like to investigate this other option".

A Choice Point Perspective

At Choice Point Psychology, we help kids, teens, and adults navigate peer pressure—building confidence to act in line with values, not just the crowd.

Dr Nicholas Harris supports children and adolescents with peer challenges and parenting strategies. Belinda Allen and Jenna Wilson assist adults with workplace dynamics and are WorkCover/SIRA providers.

What Can I do?

If you or your child feel stuck in the tug-of-war of peer pressure, therapy can help you find your own voice again.

If you or your family could use support, contact us to inquire about our services.
Phone:

0438 246 432  | 
Email: [email protected]  | 
Contact form: choicepointpsychology.au/contact