Minority Influence

Question 1

What is Minority influence

Answer 1

When members of a majority group are converted to the views of a minority.

Question 2

What affects the effectiveness of a minority in influencing the majority

Answer 2

Consistency, Commitment and flexibility

Question 3

How can minority ensure consistency

Answer 3

Minority stays united (synchronic) and keeps the same views over time (diachronic)

Question 4

How can minority ensure commitment

Answer 4

Augmentation principle - personal sacrifices show minority not acting out of self interest

Question 5

How can minority ensure flexibility

Answer 5

They should accept reasonable counter arguments from majority

Question 6

How does the process of change from minority view to majority view occur

Answer 6

Majority thinks deeply about minority view, then snowball effect - minority view becomes majority

Question 7

What is the augmentation of principle

Answer 7

If someone performs an action despite costs or risks, the underlying motive is considered strong

Question 8

Outline the snowball effect

Answer 8

Minorities changing majority opinions starts as a slow process, as each person only converts a few members of the majority. However, this rate of conversion picks up speed as more and more of the majority convert

Question 9

Evaluate minority influence (strength)

Answer 9

Flexibility has been shown to help minorities influence members of the majority. Nemeth (1987) asked 3 p’s and 1 c to act as a jury and decide on the compensation for the victim of a ski lift accident. When the c was inflexible arguing for low compensation they were less able to convince members of the majority to lower their offer than when they slightly raised their original offer, showing flexibility.

Question 10

Evaluate minority influence (weakness)

Answer 10

Studies supporting factors affecting minority influence are lab - based, e.g. Moscovici’s and Nemeth’s procedures are highly artificial, meaning their results may not be generalisable to real world minority influence. In real life those trying to convince us are friends and family, on important social issues rather than meaningless tasks.

Question 11

Define social change

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What is the first step of social change

Answer 12

Drawing attention

Question 13

What is the second step of social change

Answer 13

Consistency

Question 14

What is the third step of social change

Answer 14

Deeper Processing - others think more deeply about issue

Question 15

What is the fourth step of social change

Answer 15

Augmentation principle - taking risks

Question 16

What is the fifth step of social change

Answer 16

Snowball effect

Question 17

What is the sixth step of social change

Answer 17

Social Cryptomnesia (people forget source of change)

Question 18

How can social change occur as a result of NSI (conformity)

Answer 18

People change their behaviour because they believe majority are too

Question 19

How can social change occur as a result of ISI (conformity)

Answer 19

Members of minority group can provide information to the majority. Wider society changes its behaviour because it accepts this new evidence

Question 20

How can social change occur as a result of obedience

Answer 20

Gradual commitment - people obey instructions one step at a time. E.g. government implementing laws

Question 21

Give evaluation of social change (strength)

Answer 21

Research support for role of NSI in social change. Nolan (2008) hung messages on front doors of houses saying - ‘most residents are trying to reduce their energy usage’. Found significant decreases in energy usage compared to control group whose messages had no reference to others behaviour.