<P> In the same way that gender has been viewed as corresponding to status, age has also been argued to have status implications . Berger, Rosenholtz and Zelditch suggest that age as a status role can be observed among college students . Younger students, such as those in their first year in college, are treated as lower - status individuals and older college students are treated as higher - status individuals . Therefore, given these status roles, it would be expected that younger individuals (low status) conform to the majority whereas older individuals (high status) would be expected not to conform </P> <P> Researchers have also reported an interaction of gender and age on conformity . Eagly and Chrvala examined the role of age (under 19 years vs. 19 years and older), gender and surveillance (anticipating responses to be shared with group members vs. not anticipating responses being shared) on conformity to group opinions . They discovered that among participants that were 19 years or older, females conformed to group opinions more so than males when under surveillance (i.e., anticipated that their responses would be shared with group members). However, there were no gender differences in conformity among participants who were under 19 years of age and in surveillance conditions . There were also no gender differences when participants were not under surveillance . In a subsequent research article, Eagly suggests that women are more likely to conform than men because of lower status roles of women in society . She suggests that more submissive roles (i.e., conforming) are expected of individuals that hold low status roles . Still, Eagly and Chrvala's results do conflict with previous research which have found higher conformity levels among younger rather than older individuals . </P> <P> Although conformity pressures generally increase as the size of the majority increases, a meta - analysis suggests that conformity pressures in Asch's experiment peak once the majority reaches about four or five in number . Moreover, a study suggests that the effects of group size depend on the type of social influence operating . This means that in situations where the group is clearly wrong, conformity will be motivated by normative influence; the participants will conform in order to be accepted by the group . A participant may not feel much pressure to conform when the first person gives an incorrect response . However, conformity pressure will increase as each additional group member also gives the same incorrect response . </P> <P> In 1961 Stanley Milgram published a study in which he utilized Asch's conformity paradigm using audio tones instead of lines; he conducted his study in Norway and France . He found substantially higher levels of conformity than Asch, with participants conforming 50% of the time in France and 62% of the time in Norway during critical trials . Milgram also conducted the same experiment once more, but told participants that the results of the study would be applied to the design of aircraft safety signals . His conformity estimates were 56% in Norway and 46% in France, suggesting that individuals conformed slightly less when the task was linked to an important issue . Stanley Milgram's study demonstrated that Asch's study could be replicated with other stimuli, and that in the case of tones, there was a high degree of conformity . </P>

When does conformity to peers tend to peak