Lesson 6: resisting social influence

Question 1

What is minority influence?

Answer 1

Form of social influence where a persuasive minority changes attitudes and behaviours of majority

Question 2

Who studied minority influence?

Answer 2

Serge Moscovici

Question 3

What was Serge’s study?

Answer 3

Blue slide green slide study

Question 4

What was Serge’s procedure?

Answer 4

1) participants given eye test to ensure they’re not colour blind then they’re placed in groups with 4 other participants and 2 confederates
2) pps were shown 36 slides all different shades of blue and were asked to state the colour out loud
3) on first part confederates stated it was green and were consistent
4) in the second part they said green 24 times and blue 12 times so this time inconsistent

5) control group used without confederates

Question 5

What was Serge’s conclusion?

Answer 5

• minorities can influence majorities
• influence is more effective when minority are consistent. When inconsistent majority ignored them

Question 6

What did Moscovici find regarding consistency on minority influence?

Answer 6

Overtime consistency in minorities view increases amount of interest from other people

Question 7

What is synchronic and diachronic consistency?

Answer 7

Synchronic: people in minority all saying same thing
Diachronic: they’ve been saying the same thing for a long time

Question 8

What did Moscovici find regarding commitment of minority influence?

Answer 8

• sometimes minorities engage in extreme activities to draw attention to cause even when it’s a risk

Question 9

What did Moscovici find regarding flexibility of minority influence?

Answer 9

Minority should balance consistency and flexibility so they do not appear rigid

Question 10

What is the process of change?

Answer 10

• all 3 factors: consistency, commitment and flexibility make people think about a topic

Question 11

What is resistance to social influence?

Answer 11

The ability of people to withstand social pressure to conform
- ability is influenced by situational and dispositional factors

Question 12

What are locus of control?

Answer 12

• Internal locus refers to belief that individuals have control over their own actions and outcomes
• external locus refers to belief that external factors or luck dictate one’s fate

Question 13

Are people with internal LOC more or less likely to be able to resist pressure to conform?

Answer 13

They’re more likely to resist as they can take personal responsibility

Question 14

What experiment did Holland repeat?

Answer 14

Milgrams

Question 15

What did Holland find?

Answer 15

• 37% of internals didn’t continue to highest shock
• only 23% of externals didn’t continue

Question 16

What is social change?

Answer 16

• way which society develops through big changes in people’s behaviour, beliefs and attitudes
• minority influence is the driving force