Tuesday, November 26, 2019
How to Prepare for the SAT 10-Step Guide
How to Prepare for the SAT 10-Step Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You know you need to take the SAT. Maybe youââ¬â¢ve even registered. But what now? How do you prepare? If youââ¬â¢re not sure where to begin or how to prepare for the SAT, this is the guide for you. First weââ¬â¢ll go over what youââ¬â¢ll need to do to prepare for the test. Then, weââ¬â¢ll discuss some methods you might use for preparing for the SAT. Weââ¬â¢ll wrap up with some resources that you might find helpful. How to Prepare for the SAT: 10Main Steps In this section, weââ¬â¢ll go over the general steps youââ¬â¢ll need to take to get ready for the SAT, all the way from registration to test day. This is aimed primarily at self-studiers, but a good tutor or program will walk you through these same steps. #1: Register for the SAT If you havenââ¬â¢t already registered for the SAT, you can register at the College Board website. Youââ¬â¢ll need to create an account with them to register if you havenââ¬â¢t already. Youââ¬â¢ll be able to select from different locations and dates. Try to pick a location thatââ¬â¢s not too far away, since youââ¬â¢ll have to drive there the morning of the test! In terms of date, you want to make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare. If youââ¬â¢re totally unfamiliar with the SAT, I would advise picking a date at least three months in advance if possible. If you have to work on a compressed timeline because of application deadlines, you can do that too! Youââ¬â¢ll just need to expect to spend more time preparing every week for a shorter number of weeks. You do need to do more than just push a button, but it's still easy to register #2: Get Oriented to the Overall Structure and Format of the SAT Next, youââ¬â¢ll want to become oriented to the overall structure of the test. The SAT is out of 1600 points distributed into two chunks: 800 points for the Math section, and 800 points for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (made up of a Reading test and a Writing test). The lowest possible score is 400 points (200 on each section). The essay section is optional and is separately scored out of eight points in three domains, making the max essay score 24. Most of the test (aside from the optional essay) is comprised of multiple choice questions with four answer choices. However, some of the math questions are ââ¬Å"Grid-Ins,â⬠or ââ¬Å"Student-produced responses,â⬠which require you to calculate an answer and then grid it in a special section on your scantron. This handy chart tells you the order, number of questions, and time for each section. Section Order # of Questions Time in Minutes Reading 1 52 65 Writing and Language 2 44 35 Math No Calculator 3 20 25 Math Calculator 4 38 55 Essay (optional) 5 1 50 Total: 154 (+1 essay prompt) 3 hours (3 hours 50 mins with essay) #3: Become Familiar With the Content and Feel of the SAT The different sections of the SAT test different areas of your knowledge and skills. Additionally, the SAT has a particular style of asking questions that youââ¬â¢ll want to become closely familiar with. Thus, each section has its own distinct set of question types and formats that you will face on test day. How to prepare for SAT math will be different than how to prepare for SAT reading, which will be different than how to prepare for SAT writing! For more information on each of the SATââ¬â¢s sections, check out our guides: Whatââ¬â¢s tested on SAT Math? Whatââ¬â¢s tested on SAT Reading? Whatââ¬â¢s test on SAT Writing? How to write an SAT Essay SAT questions have their own special feel, just like this grass. #4: Pinpoint Your Weaknesses Once you feel generally oriented to the test, youââ¬â¢ll want to figure out what areas youââ¬â¢re weak in and set a baseline. The best way to do this is to take a complete, timed practice test. Luckily for you, the College Board has released more than six free practice tests. Be sure to find a quiet testing environment, and bring lots of scratch paper and an approved calculator! You want the conditions to be as test-like as possible. If youââ¬â¢re signed up to take the essay, you should also write a practice essay as part of your practice test run. (See our advice on how to decide whether you need the SAT essay.) Once youââ¬â¢ve taken the practice test, use the provided scoring guidelines to figure out your score. This will help you figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. The sections where you did best are clearly your stronger ones, but you can also get more granular than that. Look back through the test to see which questions you missed and note down any patterns. Did you miss all of the data interpretation questions on reading? All the trig on math? Those are question types (and skill areas) you need to work on. The SAT also provides guidelines on calculating your subscores in different areas. You can use this to get an additional idea of what particular areas you are strongest and weakest in within a section. Work your weakest SAT muscles! #5: Set a Score Goal Once you have an idea of your baseline, set a goal score! Youââ¬â¢ll want it to be something you can realistically accomplish in the time frame you have for preparing for the SAT. A 100-point improvement from your baseline in a month is probably doable; a 300-point improvement in that time frame is much less so. And remember that the more you want to improve your score, the more time youââ¬â¢ll have to put into it! Our rough estimates for point improvement are as follows: 0-30 point improvement: 10 hours 30-70 point improvement: 20 hours 70-130 point improvement: 40 hours 130-200 point improvement: 80 hours 200-330 point improvement: 150 hours + Your target score should also take into account the schools that youââ¬â¢re interested in attending. You want to be within their middle 50% if possible. The middle 50% describes the score range of the 25th-75th percentile of admits. So if a schoolââ¬â¢s middle 50% is 1050-1200, then 25% of admits scored below 1050, 50% scored between 1050 and 1200, and the top 25% scored above 1200. For more on setting target scores, see our guide here. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! #6: Make a Study Schedule Based on your goal score and how much time you have before the test, youââ¬â¢ll want to make a study schedule for yourself. Youââ¬â¢ll probably want to spend a consistent amount of time every week studying until you take the test. For example, if you think youââ¬â¢ll need to study 50 hours to make your score goal, and the test is in 10 weeks, try to study about 5 hours a week for 10 weeks. This will help keep you moving and making progress at a steady pace. Itââ¬â¢s also best if you set aside specific, scheduled blocks of time in advance. So maybe youââ¬â¢ll do one hour after school every day, or youââ¬â¢ll plan to spend 2.5 hours on Saturday morning and 2.5 hours on Sunday morning every week prepping for the test. By setting consistent, scheduled times, it will help make studying into a habit. And make sure somebody else knows your study schedule so they can hold you accountable! See more advice on making a study schedule here. Crush the calendar- don't let it crush you! #7: Review Important Content Once you have a goal and schedule, itââ¬â¢s time to start reviewing content. Learn any material you need for the test that you donââ¬â¢t know yet, and review what you already know. Target the areas you know youââ¬â¢re weak in, but donââ¬â¢t neglect anything. So if youââ¬â¢re weak in Math, itââ¬â¢s fine to spend more time on it, but you should still spend a little time preparing for the SAT Reading section even if itââ¬â¢s your best subject. This helps make sure you are sufficiently ready for every section and that you donââ¬â¢t backslide on the subjects youââ¬â¢re already good at. You are the one who can best determine how to learn and review content most effectively. However, we have some methods and resources you may want to consider in sections below. #8: Learn Test Strategies An important part of preparing for the SAT is learning the best strategies to approach the test. This includes learning how to best eliminate answers, guess when you need to, manage your time, and additional section-specific tips. Here are some of our SAT strategy guides: Overall SAT Strategy Using Process of Elimination on the SAT How to Ace the SAT: 6 Expert Tips and Strategies SAT Reading The Best Way to Read the Passage in SAT Reading The Top 4 SAT Reading Strategies You Must Use The Top 10 SAT Reading Tips You Must Use The Fundamental Strategy of SAT Reading SAT Writing The Best Way to Read the SAT Writing Passages What is SAT Writing and Language? 5 Tips to Excel SAT Math Heart of Algebra: Key Strategies for SAT Math How to Figure Out What SAT Math Questions Are Really Asking Command of Evidence: 3 Key SAT Writing Strategies SAT Essay SAT Essay Tips: 15 Ways to Improve Your Score How to Get a Perfect SAT Essay Score As any predator can tell you, it's all about strategy. #9: Practice, Practice, Practice Practicing for the SAT has two facets. The first facet is targeted practice of the skills you need to hone for the test. You can do this through practicing specific question types, topics, or entire sections that you need more work on. When you get questions wrong, make sure to really work through them to understand where you went astray. Youââ¬â¢ll also probably want to engage in a couple of complete test practice runs. For these, take an official complete practice test under the same conditions youââ¬â¢ll have on test day. You may even want to try starting at the same time your test will really start at least once. Be sure to include breaks and a snack! #10: Be Ready for Test Day! When test day happens, you want to be ready! So be sure to engage in all your best test-taking practices, like getting lots of sleep the night before, having a balanced breakfast, and packing your bag with pencils and a calculator! Sadly, this is not the best pre-test breakfast. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or more? We've put our best advice into a single guide. These are the 5 strategies you MUST be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download this free SAT guide now: 4 Options for How toPrepare for the SAT There are a variety of methods that students use when preparingfor the SAT. We provide pros and cons to the main ones here. Note that you may use some combination of the options laid out below. Self-Prep Many students prep for the SAT mostly on their own, with the help of prep books, online resources, mobile apps, and so on. Pros You have control over exactly what and when you study. This is great if you have a good idea of exactly what you need to work on, because you can easily tailor your studying program to your own needs. This is the cheapest option out there, especially if you use free resources and get prep materials from the library! Cons It can behard to stay motivated. This is why itââ¬â¢s important to have someone else know when you plan to study so they can help hold you accountable. It can be a lot of work! You need to figure out your own weaknesses, track down resources, and so on. So you have to be willing to put some extra investment into planning. If you have a lot of improvement to make, it may be hard for you to self-diagnose your own weaknesses. Or even if you know that youââ¬â¢re, say, very weak on math, you may not know exactly where to begin or how to attack the situation. Sometimes guidance is necessary! It can be hard to stay upbeat when you're working alone. Online Program The online prep program is a relatively new innovation in how to preparefor the SAT. But is it legit? Pros A good online prep program can bea great investment: It will accurately diagnose your strengths and weaknesses and assign lessons and practice problems based on those strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, a goodprogram will help you create a study plan and track your progress. It will also have high-quality, clear content review and practice questions. It will even teach you the best SAT strategy! Here at PrepScholar, we have a comprehensive online SAT prep program that is customized to your needs. Many online programs are much more affordable than hiring a private tutor or taking a prep course. Cons Not all online prep programs are created equally!The wrong online prep program is a massive waste of time and money. And donââ¬â¢t just assume that just because it comes from a big-name test-prep company that it offers you anything great! Make sure you know what youââ¬â¢re really getting for your money before you commit to a program. An online prep program is like a teacher and a computer melded into one potent combo. Prep Course Twenty students in a high-school classroom after hours, listening to an SAT prep teacher drone on about conjunctions. Good prep method or bad one? Pros The schedule of the class forces you to stay on track with the pace the class sets, which could be good if you have trouble staying motivated. Cons Thereââ¬â¢snot much personalization to your own needs and pace. For the most part, youââ¬â¢ll need to proceed with the class, whether you know the material being covered like the back of your hand or youââ¬â¢re completely lost. The quality of the teacher also makes a huge difference here. A teacher who is invested in everyoneââ¬â¢s experience and tries to adjust curriculum to meet class needs can help you improve your score. A bad teacher may just stand in front of the class reading vocab word definitions for two hours. And unfortunately, you have basically no control and no way of knowing if youââ¬â¢ll get a good teacher or bad one when you sign up for the class. Test prep courses are expensive! It can be more expensive than hiring a private tutor for a limited number of hours, which may frankly be more worth your money. On the bright side, you can use any downtime in class to look up cute cat photos. Private Tutor Having your very own tutor for the SAT sounds like the dream, right? Here are the pros and cons. Pros A good tutor is truly invaluable.Theyââ¬â¢ll help you make a study plan, identify your weaknesses, explain concepts youââ¬â¢re shaky on, and help you come up with an SAT strategy that works best for you. From a high-quality tutoring professional, tutoring both provides you with an expert to guide you and takes the guesswork out of creating a study plan. Additionally, a tutor can help keep you motivated! Cons A sub-par tutor is aserious waste of time and money. If they arenââ¬â¢t a high-scorer (think 95th percentile at the very least) whoââ¬â¢s also a great teacher, the tutoring situation is just the blind leading the blind. You want a true professional who knows the test inside and out. Private tutoring is expensive!Thus, this option just isnââ¬â¢t available to everyone. A good tutor is worth their weight in gold, and also costs that much. Great SAT Prep Resources to Help You Study There are a variety of resources you might want to use for your SAT prep, regardless of what prep method you decide to go with. Hereââ¬â¢s a roundup of some of the best ones. Practice Tests and Questions Practice tests and questions are the single most important resource for SAT prep. You want as much SAT-like practice as you can possibly get! The gold standard is the collection of free SAT tests from the College Board. They also offer some sample questions. You can also get tons of questions from the Khan Academy free SAT prep program, created in concert with the College Board. For additional practice test resources, including old and unofficial practice resources, check out our guide to all the free tests out there. Prep Books A good prep book can help you out a lot. See our list of the best SAT prep books to help you decide on which ones, if any, you need! Useful Applications and Tools There are also many online and mobile applications and tools for learning and practicing SAT material. We already mentioned Khan Academy, although you definitely want to supplement Khan Academy with other materials. We also have a guide to the best SAT prep games. This kind of tool won't help you much on the SAT, though. Online Guides You can also find a lot of information on SAT strategy and content for free online. Check out other articles on our SAT/ACT prep blog for comprehensive guides and advice on every SAT-related topic under the sun! Review: 10 Steps for How to Prepare for the SAT In broad terms, hereââ¬â¢s how to prepare for the SAT: Register for the test (if you havenââ¬â¢t already) Get oriented to the overall test structure and format Become familiar with content and question styles Figure out your weaknesses Set a score goal Make a study plan Review important content Learn test strategies Practice Be ready for test day! Students can use a variety of methods to prepare for the SAT, including self-prep, an online program, a prep class, or a private tutor. Each method has some pros and cons (although some, like a prep class, have a lot more cons). And there are tons of resources out there for students to use, like practice tests, prep books, apps and tools, and online guides like ours! Get ready to conquer the SAT, noble warrior! What's Next? Worried that the SAT may be difficult? Check out our analysis of 8 key factors that might make the test hard. And see our in-depth analysis of whether or not you can fail the SAT. Wondering why you have to take this test anyways? Check out 10 critical reasons to take the SAT. If you're stumped on how to fit in SAT studying with your other obligations, see 10 amazing tips for balancing SAT test prep and school! See our complete guide to the SAT test day experience if you aren't sure what to expect! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Mark Twains Two Ways of Seeing a River Reading Quiz
Mark Twains Two Ways of Seeing a River Reading Quiz Two Ways of Seeing a River is an excerpt from the end of Chapter Nine of Mark Twains autobiographical work Life on the Mississippi, published in 1883. The memoir recounts his early days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi and then a trip down the river much later in life from St. Louis to New Orleans. Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) is regarded as a masterpiece and was the first piece of American literature to tell the story in colloquial, everyday language. After reading the essay, take this short quiz, and then compare your responses with the answers at the bottom of the page. In the opening sentence of Two Ways of Seeing a River, Twain introduces a metaphor, comparing the Mississippi River to:(A) a snake(B) a language(C) something wet(D) a beautiful woman with a deadly disease(E) the devils highwayIn the first paragraph, Twain uses the technique of repeating key words to emphasize his main point. What is this repeated line?(A) The majestic river!(B) I had made a valuable acquisition.(C) I still keep in mind a wonderful sunset.(D) I had lost something.(E) All the grace, the beauty, the poetry.The detailed description that Twain provides in the first paragraph is recalled from whose point of view?(A) an experienced steamboat captain(B) a small child(C) a beautiful woman with a deadly disease(D) Huckleberry Finn(E) Mark Twain himself, when he was an inexperienced steamboat pilotIn the first paragraph, Twain describes the river as having a ruddy flush. Define the adjective ruddy.(A) crude, rough, unfinished condition(B) having a sturdy build or strong constit ution(C) inspiring pity or compassion(D) reddish, rosy(E) neat and orderly How are Twains comments on the sunset scene in the second paragraph different from his descriptions of it in the first paragraph?(A) The experienced pilot is now able to read the river rather than marvel at its beauty.(B) The older man has grown bored with life on the river and simply wants to return home.(C) The river looks strikingly different at sunset from the way it appears at dawn.(D) The river is suffering as a result of pollution and physical decay.(E) The older and wiser man perceives the true beauty of the river in ways that the younger man would probably make fun of.In paragraph two, Twain uses which figure of speech in the line concerning the rivers face?(A) mixed metaphor(B) oxymoron(C) personification(D) epiphora(E) euphemismIn the final paragraph, Twain raises questions in regard to the way that a doctor might examine the face of a beautiful woman. This passage is an example of what technique?(A) wandering away from the subject(B) drawing an analogy(C) making a transit ion to an entirely new topic(D) deliberate word-for-word repetition to achieve emphasis(E) anti-climax ANSWERS:1. B; 2. D; 3. E; 4. D; 5. A; 6. C; 7. B.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
The human body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1
The human body - Essay Example Brain, nerves & spinal cord. Functions to provide strength and connections to move the arm or leg or to make the facial expressions. Muscles cover almost every bone of the body except fingers and teeth and skull. It also help in Maintaining posture & generate heat by shivering. Pumps blood to each part of the body. Takes oxygen from the lungs and transports it to the each part of the body and carry carbon dioxide that is released through respiration. Heart, veins and arteries. Skin has millions of sensory nerves that send information to the brain; the information regarding the environment, temperature, etc. If the brain senses that the temperature is a bit higher than the body temperature, brain sends signal to the sweat gland to open and cool the body. In some cases, the brain sends signal to the muscles connected to skin hair to contract or expand according to the environment or other condition. At 25 years the body functions seem to be efficiently functional. On the other hand considering the daily working of the 25 year person is moving door to door to distribute the leaflets and take part in the other programs as organized by the charity. The muscles (muscular system) in the body particularly the leg muscles require much oxygenated blood in order to work efficiently. The oxygenated blood is transported by the cardiovascular system and the heart pumps the blood as faster as the oxygen is required. Oxygen is supplied through the respiratory system. The respiratory system fills the blood with oxygen. It is common fact that the respiratory system and cardiovascular system synchronize in a proper manner. The rate of respiration increases as the demand for oxygen increases. On the other hand, as the muscular system uses more oxygen it produces more carbon-dioxide that is also released through respiratory process. All these functions are controlled by the brain that informs the heats to pump faster
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
If you were in charge of the MTA of New York, what three changes would Essay
If you were in charge of the MTA of New York, what three changes would you make that would better or improve the system - Essay Example I would also concentrate on the problem of maintenance, such as dirt and trash, food on the trains, broken elevators, dilapidated facilities, etc. For the amount that they are paying to ride on the MTA, straphangers deserve a clean and respectable place to commute. I also believe in the theory that if things look bad, they start to go bad, sometimes called the ââ¬Å"broken windowsâ⬠theory. Finally, if given charge of the organization, I would work hard to fight corruption. It is the overall assumption of the current report that by operating without secrecy and with a high level of accountability, in addition to installing measures of performance or results based management, the MTA under my tenure will be looked upon as possessing integrity and fairness in its operations, and will gain the trust of the public and increase the level of responsibility required of its own employees and society as a whole. Theoretically, it all seems rather simple for performance based management to promote this sort of behavior, backed up by an effective ethics program.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Ha Long Essay Example for Free
Ha Long Essay A customer buys products based on their look and the quality inside . This is an example of how tourists choose their tourist destination and I have a wonderful destination that everyone should come once time in their life Ha Long . Ha Long is one of seven nature wonders of the world. Visiting Ha Long bay, you can experience the diversity of natural views, from sandy beaches to thousand year old rocky mountains. Why should you choose Ha Long bay to visit ? The word Ha Long in Vietnamese means the dragon descends into the sea and he legend says that the island of Ha Long was created by a great dragon who lived in the mountain, it sounds very interesting. First, I will let you know about the wonderful scenery. When you come to Ha Long, you can just describe as a wow , from great father mountain to thousand year old caves, from sandy beach to diving to discover the sea . Ha Long bay will lead you from one surprise to another. Beside that, Ha Long has had a particularly significant position because of its location oââ¬â¹n the important communication and trade route between China, Japan and Thailand , so you can see the great combination of culture of four countries. What will you do when you come to Ha Long bay ? As I said, Ha Long is a great combination of scenary and culture , so there are so many trips that take you to experience the beauty and culture of Ha Long . You will visit Ha Long on a cruise , which is called cruise tour that will lead you visit all places in Ha Long , it looks like you are mixing with the natural , beauty of sea , mountains and caves .Come to Ha Long bay, you will have agreat opportunity to get experience about life on water , which means people live all their life on water , we call that fishing village on the sea. you can also enjoy the fresh seafood, from shrimp, fish, jelly fish to many kinds of seafood that you have never eaten and if you want to cook for yourself , you can do it . Especially , you can try a famous dish of Ha Long jelly fish noodle . I promise that Ha Long bay is a value trip that you should try , the friendly traditional of people in Ha Long , the wonderful lanscape. Imagine you are walking up in the beautiful sunshine amid the rock, islets and caves and seeà the view of Ha Long bay on the top of the mountain will give you a bird-eye view on the bay. I promise that no place in the world has the wonderful view like Ha Long bay. The experience from one to another will lead you to many surprises, the culture, the landscape, cuisine of Ha Long bay . Do not procrastinate , come to Ha Long and enjoy a wonderful gift of nature.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Who was the most helpful during the Great Depression Essay -- essays r
The Great Depression had battered the nation and the economic situation was desperate. During Herbert Hooverââ¬â¢s presidency, more than half of all Americans were living below the poverty line. Herbert Hoover was an idealist that believed Americans could reach their potential and so he felt that intervention by the federal government would repress the American potential. Roosevelt understood the suffering of his countrymen and introduced economic reforms to alleviate the effects of the depression. First, Roosevelt tackled the most pressing crisis: the bankruptcy of the banks. Since the start of the Depression, 11,000 of the nation's 25,000 banks had failed, and millions of Americans had lost their life's savings. Roosevelt realized that if he kept the banks open, panicked depositors would withdraw their money and more banks would fail. On March 5, FDR declared a three day "bank holiday." While programs like the CCC helped ease the immediate pain of the Depression, Roosevelt worked to effect more permanent changes on the economy. In May, Congress passed FDR's Agricultural Adjustment Act. The AAA provided aid to farmers who decreased the production of goods, which, the president hoped, would cause farm prices to rise. Roosevelt sent Congress his National Industrial Recovery Act, which set fair-practice codes for business and industry, established minimum wages and maximum hours, and gave labor the guaranteed right to bargain collectively. The bill quickly became law. I n... Who was the most helpful during the Great Depression Essay -- essays r The Great Depression had battered the nation and the economic situation was desperate. During Herbert Hooverââ¬â¢s presidency, more than half of all Americans were living below the poverty line. Herbert Hoover was an idealist that believed Americans could reach their potential and so he felt that intervention by the federal government would repress the American potential. Roosevelt understood the suffering of his countrymen and introduced economic reforms to alleviate the effects of the depression. First, Roosevelt tackled the most pressing crisis: the bankruptcy of the banks. Since the start of the Depression, 11,000 of the nation's 25,000 banks had failed, and millions of Americans had lost their life's savings. Roosevelt realized that if he kept the banks open, panicked depositors would withdraw their money and more banks would fail. On March 5, FDR declared a three day "bank holiday." While programs like the CCC helped ease the immediate pain of the Depression, Roosevelt worked to effect more permanent changes on the economy. In May, Congress passed FDR's Agricultural Adjustment Act. The AAA provided aid to farmers who decreased the production of goods, which, the president hoped, would cause farm prices to rise. Roosevelt sent Congress his National Industrial Recovery Act, which set fair-practice codes for business and industry, established minimum wages and maximum hours, and gave labor the guaranteed right to bargain collectively. The bill quickly became law. I n...
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Opinions and Social Pressure Essay
Asch in his essay ââ¬Å"Opinions and Social Pressureâ⬠conducted an experiment to determine effects of group pressure towards an individual and concluded that there is a very strong tendency to conformity even when doing so conflicting with their own senses of morality. In the experiment a group of young students have to compare length of lines on two different sheets of paper. On one of them there is a sample single line and on the other one there are three lines only one of which is same size as the sample line from the first sheet. People taking part in this experiment are instructed to point at lines that are the same length. At first, during the experiment the group is unanimous in their answers and chooses the correct line, but later on the person that sits near to the end of the line in which people taking part in the experiment are sited, selects different answers then the rest of the group. As the experiment continues and the situation repeats, the isolated in selecting different than the majority answers person shows signs of feeling uncomfortable in position of dissenter. What he doesnââ¬â¢t know is that the rest of the group is instructed to give wrong answers while the experiment is conducted. The single individual is placed in the minority while actually giving the correct answers. Subjects of this experiment could act independently or they could go along with majorityââ¬â¢s opinion. A prominent percentage yielded. Under the majority pressure people are more likely to accept the misleading information. There are extreme examples of totally independent individuals as well as people who totally agree with the majority almost most of the time and the tendency is highly consistent. After reconstructing the experiment the next question for the scientist to answer is which aspect of influence is more important, the size of majority or its unanimity. It turns out, that the majority size makes a difference only to the point where majority group involves three people. Making the majority any bigger would not influence on the error rate for the answers in the experiment. Breaking up unanimity of the group in given answers has a significant effect. In the experiment it is also noted that the rate of wrong answers depends to a considerable degree on how wrong the majority is. Even with significant difference in length of lines there were still individuals who agree with majority error. For those participating in this experiment almost all declare that independence was preferable to conformity. ââ¬Å"Life in society requires consensus as an indispensable conditions. But consensus, to be productive, requires that each individual contribute independently out of his experience and insight. (â⬠¦) We have found that tendency to conformity in our society so strong that reasonably and well- meaning young people are willing to call white black is a matter of concernâ⬠(Salomon E. Asch ââ¬Å"Opinion and Social Pressureâ⬠pp. 730). The experiment has proven that we live in times where opinion become very subjective and can be easily modified. Social techniques are wildly used in marketing and sales or even by lobbyist in governmental decision making process. The uncertainty of people own senses, opinion or knowledge can be easily abused. Aschââ¬â¢s experiment implements how people believe in the obvious lies. Itââ¬â¢s shows simple ways of influencing perception, judgment and action. Results of this experiment trigger a number of social and scientifically researches like study of Berns G.S. (2005) (Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity and Independence During Mental Rotation, Biological Psychiatry, 58(3), pp 245-253), that explains decision making influence on very profound level. It proves that social mechanisms of authority have an effect not only on individual behavior but it also effects brain chemistry. Resources: ââ¬Å"Opinions and S ocial Pressureâ⬠/ by Solomon E. Asch Berns G. S. (2005) (Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity and Independence During Mental Rotation, Biological Psychiatry, 58(3), pp 245-253) Reaction Paragraph: I was very surprised by the results of Aschââ¬â¢s experiment. I always knew that the opinion of the group counts and itââ¬â¢s important to most of us, but would never except that the scale and strength of decision making influence techniques can be so large and effective. Society faces many different forms and techniques of decision making influences that were developed from results of the Aschââ¬â¢s experiment. This techniques share common goals which are to make society to obey and find the best ways to achieve social conformity. On positive side, conformity can be used to create predictability references or to organize a convenient social structure that doesnââ¬â¢t require constant renegotiations. On the negative side, itââ¬â¢s a key to a great power over social behavior and actions. This raise questions over morality and responsibility over the actions that could be caused by manipulations. If the study was conducted on contemporary society the results wouldnââ¬â¢t be much different if not even showing stronger tendency to conformity. Living in the age of social media, mass communication networks and globalization concepts individuals are more pressured to obey, to be a part of events or actions not truly and not only by their free will. The study indicates that in big majority people are followers and they tend to obey authority and follow the opinion of majority. Awareness of how humans tend to obey comes with some tips on how we can protect ourselves from external influence. Cultivating a healthy skepticism and exercising active change in our behavior make us less vulnerable to prospective social experiments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)