You’re in a room, participating in what you were told is a visual perception experiment, and everyone around you insists that two unequal lines are the same length. You feel confused, sick, and embarrassed. Everybody looks at you, the last person to give an answer, to see what you say. Would you go along with the group, or would you resist?
Most people caved to social pressure, agreeing with what they knew was wrong. But a remarkable few did not. These “heroic resistors” defied the pressure to conform. Their stories hold powerful lessons for us today, in an era when authoritarianism and undue influence are on the rise.
Often, in such studies as Solomon Asch’s conformity study, the focus remains on those who obey. But what of those who refused to go along? Who were these “heroic resistors,” and what made them stand firm under pressure?
Solomon Asch and the Power of the Group
In the early 1950s, psychologist Solomon Asch conducted experiments that pitted an individual against a group’s unanimous, incorrect judgment. Participants were asked a simple question: Which of the three lines matches the length of the standard line?
The task was easy until a group of actors in the room confidently gave obviously incorrect answers. The experiment required that the real subject provide an answer after having heard everybody before them insist on a clearly false one.
Asch found that about 75% of people conformed to the group’s false answer at least once. Many participants later said they didn’t believe the group was right but buckled under pressure. This study has been replicated time and time again.
However, 25% of participants never conformed at all. They gave the correct answer, even while visibly uncomfortable. Asch himself was struck by how often subjects held firm against group pressure. Many of these resistors later said that they felt compelled to “call it as they saw it.” They dared to stand alone for the truth. What gave them the courage?
What Makes a Heroic Resistor?
Across the studies, the majority of participants went along with what they knew was wrong. It’s easy to say, “I would never do that,” but the research shows that under pressure, many of us might. Psychologists have since wondered what gives individuals the strength to refuse. The answers aren’t clear-cut, but some themes do emerge.
Heroic resistors tended to have a clear sense of right and wrong that wasn’t easily swayed by social cues. In Asch’s experiment, the resistors trusted the evidence of their own eyes over the bogus group consensus. In other words, they engaged in reality testing.
The term “heroic” might sound grandiose. However, psychologist Philip Zimbardo of the Stanford Prison Experiment has spoken about the “banality of heroism,” meaning that heroic acts can come from ordinary people in ordinary moments.
In Asch’s experiments, having just one ally in the group dramatically lowered conformity. Participants were far more likely to speak the truth if just one other person gave a different answer.
Knowing you’re not alone can flip the script from “I must be crazy” to “I’m not the only one who sees the problem.” While heroic resistors must stand alone in experiments (by design), in real life we can seek out allies.
Resisting the Pull of Authoritarianism Today
What do Asch’s experiments have to do with the real world of 2025? Around the globe, there is a surge of authoritarianism. Social media echo chambers amplify groupthink.
It’s as if we are living in a large-scale conformity study. The end result can be a kind of group trance, in which decent people find themselves blindly following orders or turning a blind eye to cruelty.
Heroic resistance is a skill set for modern citizenship. Think of the public health workers who worked during a pandemic while crowds shouted abuse at them. Or election workers who, under tremendous pressure and even threats, refused to “find” extra votes that weren’t there, protecting democracy. These are real-life heroic resistors.
How to Become a Heroic Resistor in Everyday Life
Heroic resistance is something we can practice daily. As Zimbardo suggested, heroism can be learned. It is essential to reflect on what you truly believe in. Those who resisted in the experiment often had a gut reaction: “This is wrong. I can’t do it.”
You don’t have to wait for a life-or-death dilemma. Start with smaller opportunities to assert independent thought. Maybe it’s asserting a minor but correct fact in a meeting, even if others disagree. Each time, you train yourself for bigger moments. It is hard to be “a minority of one,” but you can make it easier by not being a stranger to that feeling.
Authoritarianism thrives on uncritical acceptance, so sharpen your skepticism. When you hear a claim, especially an extreme one, pause. Consider: What’s the evidence? Who benefits if I believe this? Become comfortable with the idea that even widely held beliefs can be wrong.
Last, educate yourself on how undue influence works. High-pressure sales, cult recruitment, and extremist propaganda all use similar tricks. They love-bomb you, isolate you, deliver fear narratives, repeat lies, and platform charismatic authority figures. By learning about such tactics, you become on guard for them.
Your Voice Matters
As demonstrated time and time again, one person saying, “This is wrong,” can break the spell of conformity and inspire others to find their courage as well.
The rise of authoritarianism in recent years is not unstoppable. Each of us has more power than we realize. Conformity studies show that even when it seemed every external force was pushing compliance, some individuals chose differently.
You can be that person. In those critical moments when something “off” is happening, if needed, be the minority of one. Your example might be the seed that eventually shifts the majority.