In 1961, American professor Ash gathered seven people in one room. They were told that they would undergo a reality experience. In fact, the subject was alone. The other six people were assistant professors, whose purpose was to deceive the true participant in the experiment.
Lines twenty-five and thirty centimeters long were drawn on the wall. The lines were parallel, it was obvious that the line was thirty centimeters longer than the other. Professor Ash asked a question to each of those present, and six of his assistants in a single impulse answered that the line was twenty-five centimeters longer than the second line. In 60% of cases, the true test subject also said that the twenty-five centimeters line was the longest. If he found that the line was thirty centimeters longer, six assistant professors began to mock him, and under their united pressure, in 30% of cases, the subject ended up joining the majority opinion. The experiment was carried out on students and teachers (people are not the most gullible), and it turned out that nine out of ten people were able to convince thatthat a line twenty-five centimeters longer than a line thirty centimeters.
Surprisingly, even after the subjects were explained the meaning of the experience and the role of six assistants in it, 10% of them continued to claim that the line of twenty-five centimeters was the longest.
Those who admitted their mistake found themselves a lot of excuses like vision problems or poorly chosen viewing angle.
The role of these six in the modern world is played by the media, and primarily television.
Bernard Werber