minority influence

Question 1

define minority influence

Answer 1

a minority rejects the established norm of the majority of group members & persuades the majority to move to the position of the minority

Question 2

how is minority influence different from conformity

Answer 2

conformity is when the majority group influences the minority group

Question 3

who studied minority influence

Answer 3

moscovici

Question 4

procedure

Answer 4

• all female group of participants
• given an eye test (not colour blind) = extraneous variable
• placed in group of 4 participants & 2 confederates
• shown 36 slides that were different shades of blue
• state colour out loud
• 2 experimental groups:
  1. confederates were consistent & answered green always
  2. confederates were inconsistent & answered green 24 times & blue 12 times
  –> also control group - no confederates

Question 5

aim (moscovici’s blue-green slides experiment)

Answer 5

to test the influence of consistency on minority influence

Question 6

results

Answer 6

consistent group (1) = 8.42% of trials resulted in participants answering green & 32% agreed at least once
inconsistent group (2) = 1.25% of trials resulted in participants answering green
–> 0.25% of control group responses were green

Question 7

conclusion

Answer 7

participants are more likely to be influenced by the minority when the answers given are consistent

Question 8

how many behavioural characteristics of minority influence are there & name

Answer 8

3
- consistency
- commitment
- flexibility

Question 9

definition of consistency

Answer 9

minority must be consistent in their views which will increase interest from others & cause them to rethink own views

Question 10

definition of commitment

Answer 10

dedication to the cause which increases amount of interest further from other majority group members –> augmentation principle

Question 11

definition of flexibility

Answer 11

minority needs to not be rigid in their views & see both sides - willing to accept counter arguments

Question 12

example of consistency

Answer 12

• same beliefs:
  1. over time = diachronic consistency
  2. between all members of minority = synchronic consistency
• eg. suffragettes –> consistent in wishes/beliefs (many years - protested/lobbied to gain vote)

Question 13

example of commitment

Answer 13

extreme activites

• eg. suffragettes - hunger strikes, chained selves to gates, 1 threw herself under a horse at kings derby

Question 14

example of flexibility

Answer 14

willing to give/take (compromise)

• eg. suffragettes - agreed to postpone campaigning to help with war effort

Question 15

describe the snowball effect

Answer 15

• must be new idea for change to occur
• over time, an increased number of people switch from majority position to minority
• the more this happens, the faster the rate of conversion
• psychological shift occurs

Question 16

evaluation of minority influence - AO3

Answer 16

+)
P: research support demonstrating influence of consistency
E: eg. moscovici et. al demonstrated if minority are consistent, their responses can influence the majority
T: presenting a consistent view is a minimum requirement for minority to influence the majority

+)
P: research support demonstrating influence of flexibility
E: eg. nemeth (1986) used groups of 3 participants & 1 confederate in 2 conditions. in condition 1, the confederate (minority) would show inflexibility by arguing for a low level of compensation for the victim of an imaginary ski lift accident & not changing from that level. in the flexible condition, the majority was much more likely to lower their compensation level closer to the confederates.
T: suggests that being flexible in your response is a requirement for the minority to influence the majority

-)
P: tasks were artificial
E: includes moscovici et. al’s task of identifying the colour of the slide. research is therefore far removed from how minorities attempt to change the behaviour of majorities in real life. in cases such as political campaigning/jury decision-making, the outcomes are vastly important & sometimes a matter of life/death
T: findings of minority influence studies are lacking in external validity & are limited about how minority influence works in real-world social situations

+)
P: research can be used in society to convert majority view
E: eg. martin et. al (2003) presented a message supporting a particular viewpoint & measured participants agreement. 1 group of participants then heard a minority group agree with the initial view while another group heard a majority group agree with it. participants were finally exposed to a conflicting view & their support was measured again. people were less willing to change their opinions if they had listening to a minority group than if they’d listened to a majority group
T: suggests the minority message had been more deeply processed & had a more enduring effect, supporting the central argument about how minority influence works