Minority Influence

Question 1

What was Moscovici experiment on Minority influence.

Answer 1

• Used 192 women, in groups of 6 at a time.
• Participants were asked to judge the colour of 36 slides.
• All the slides were blue but the brightness of the blue varied.
• There were 2 confederates in each group.
• In one condition the confederates called all 36 slides ‘green’ (consistent)
• In another condition they called 24 of the slides ‘green’ and 12 of the slides ‘blue’ (inconsistent).
• Control group used with no confederates.

Question 2

What were the results of the experiment?

Answer 2

• In control group the participants called the slides ‘green’ 0.25% of time.
• In consistent condition 8% and 32% said green at least once.
• In inconsistent condition only 1%.

Question 3

What is conclusion of experiment?

Answer 3

-The confederates were in the minority but their views appear to have influenced the real participants.
- The use of the two conditions illustrated that the minority had more influence when they were consistent in calling the slides ‘green’.

Question 4

What are the negative evaluations of the experiment?

Answer 4

• Laboratory experiment, lacked ecological validity as was an artificial task.
• Participants may have felt the task was trivial and would act differently to more significant things.
• Only on women.

Question 5

What are positive evaluations for the experiment?

Answer 5

• Use of control showed participants were influenced by minority.
• In similar experiment participants asked to write down there answers, even more people agreed with minority showing support for minority influence.

Question 6

What are real world examples of minority influence?

Answer 6

• MLK - started the civil rights movement, America and award Nobel piece prize for his work, 1964
• Gay Rights Movement - Gay Rights Movements allowed Gay Marriage to be legalised in 2014.

Question 7

Social Impact Theory