Minority Influence

Question 1

Minority influence

Answer 1

When a minority rejects the established norms of the majority and persuades the majority to move to the position of the minority.

Question 2

What are the 3 things needed for a minority to shift the view of the majority? (CCF)

Answer 2

Consistency, Commitment, flexibility

Question 3

Consistency

Answer 3

Keeping the message the same throughout (appear confident and unbiased)

Question 4

Synchronic consistency

Answer 4

Saying the same thing

Question 5

Diachronic consistency

Answer 5

Saying the same thing over a period of time

Question 6

Commitment

Answer 6

If you engage in risk taking behaviour, especially if it risks or inconveniences you (augmentation principle) you are more likely to grab public attention.

Question 7

Flexibility

Answer 7

If you show a willingness to listen to other viewpoints you are more persuasive. Show flexibility in your actions and people are more likely to be on board with the new view.

Question 8

Leads to…

Answer 8

The snowball effect where overtime, people will become converted, this is a gradual process, a few people will join and then more and more until the tipping point where the minority becomes the majority.

Question 9

+ Moscovici et al (1969) procedure

Answer 9

A group of 6 (4 participants, 2 confederates) were shown 36 slides which were clearly different shades of blue. They were then asked to state the colour of each slide out loud. Condition 1: the confederates answered green for each of the slides. They are consistent in their responses. Condition 2: the confederates answered green 24 times and blue 12 times. They were inconsistent in their answers.

Question 10

+ Moscovici et al (1969) findings

Answer 10

Condition 1: confederates were consistent. Participants answered green (incorrect answer) 8.42% of the time.
Condition 2: confederates were inconsistent. Participants answered green (incorrect answer) 1.25% of the time.

Question 11

+ Wood (1994) backs up moscovici

Answer 11

He conducted a meta-analysis and found that minorities were more influential if they were consistent. This implies that constituency is an important factor in minority influence.

Question 12

• Artificial tasks

Answer 12

Tasks within studies are artificial such as moscovici’s stating the colour of slides. Real-life situations are more complicated such as “fathers for justice campaign”. Therefore lacking in external validity so has limited real world application.

Question 13

• Studies don’t capture commitment

Answer 13

Most studies do not capture the commitment that minorities show to their causes, including the social support that member give each other when majority hostility threatens to overwhelm them (e.g gay rights, friends of the earth). All studies lack mundane realism and therefore can’t be generalised to real life as they don’t represent real life minority influence.