Sheriff (1936) asked groups of participants to estimate the distance moved by a point of light. He found that: participants were more accurate when they were alone than when they were in groups participants were more accurate in groups than when they were alone as the study progressed, the participants' estimates began to converge with each other as the study progressed, the participants' estimates began to diverge from each other

Sherif's study, conducted in 1936, showed a deep level of conformity in participants, known as internalization. Sherif asked participants to observe a point of light and estimate how much it moved - the point never really moved. When isolated, participants had their own estimates. However, when placed in groups, they would change their estimates to conform to what the group seemed to believe. Not only were they agreeing publicly, but also privately, since the group's estimate persisted even when participants were separated again. Therefore, we can see that, as the study progressed, participants' estimates began to converge with each other as a result of internalization.