Minority Influence

Question 1

What is social change?

Answer 1

Occurs when whole societies, rather than just individuals adopt new attitudes, beliefs and ways of doing things

Question 2

What is minority influence?

Answer 2

Forms of social influence in which minority persuades others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes or behaviours

Question 3

Examples of minority influence leading to social change

Answer 3

• hitler
• campaigns for same sax couple/ marriage rights

Question 4

How can minorities have influence on disobeying authority?

Answer 4

• courageous people emerged to service as disobedient models.
• likely to have internal locus of control= believe they are in control of events in their life not some external force

Question 5

who is Moscovichi?

Answer 5

one of the first people to study the process of minority influence in his blue slide/green slide experiment

Question 6

AMRC of Moscovichi

Answer 6

A- effects of minority influence
M- 6 people asked to view set of 36 blue coloured slides varied in intensity + stated whether slides green or blue. 2 conf=green
R- p’s green (wrong) 8.42%. second g exposed to inconsistent: green 24x blue 12x= green 1.25%. control g no conf= wrong 0.25%
C- consistency key in influencing other p’s

Question 7

what did Moscovichi’s research do?

Answer 7

inspired wealth of research into minority influence in order to be able to bring about change

Question 8

how will conflict be created?

Answer 8

minorities who are consistent + committed and flexible

Question 9

what does consistency mean?

Answer 9

keeping same beliefs, both over time and between all individuals that form the minority

Question 10

synchronic consistency

Answer 10

everyone saying same thing

Question 11

diachronic consistency

Answer 11

saying same thing for long time

Question 12

what does commitment mean?

Answer 12

demonstrating dedication to their position. enagaging in extreme behaviours sometimes to draw attention. risk shows committment to cause

Question 13

augmentation principle

Answer 13

risk shows commitment to cause

Question 13

what does flexibility mean?

Answer 13

flexible, co-operative, reasonable is persuasive. adapting and accepting counter argument

Question 13

Strengths of minority influence

Answer 13

• research support for consistency: Wood meta-analysis found that minorities who were consistent were most influential.
• research support for deeper processing: people less willing to change views if listened to minority view.

Question 14

Limitations of minority influence

Answer 14

Artificial task- Mocovichi colour slide study is far removed from how minorities attempt to change behaviour of minorities in real life,