What was a strength of including participants who knew each other in the Mori and Arai study?

Including participants who knew each other in the Mori and Arai study enhanced the relevance of conformity to real-life social dynamics. When individuals are familiar with one another, social pressures and dynamics are more pronounced, making the context of conformity more authentic. This real-world connection allows researchers to observe how established relationships and trust factors influence the likelihood of conformity behaviors.

In everyday life, people often conform in the presence of friends or acquaintances due to social norms and the desire for acceptance. By mirroring such situations in the study, the researchers could draw more meaningful conclusions about how interpersonal relationships impact conformity, thereby strengthening the ecological validity of their findings. This context provides deeper insights into social behaviors, making it a significant strength of the study.