EFFECTS OF CONFEDERATE AND SUBJECT GENDER ON CONFORMITY IN A COLOR CLASSIFICATION TASK

Thirty-four college students were asked to classify ambiguous colors ( e.g., blue-green) into their components (e.g., blue or green). They di d this first while alone and later with confederates who opposed their previous answers. It was found that most subjects conformed to some d egree, with results matching those of classic conformity studies. An A NOVA indicated that female subjects conformed more than males, but tha t there were no differences based on the gender of the confederates. A n interpretation based on superior female emotional sensitivity is off ered as an alternative to past explanations of this recurring gender d ifference.