MINORITY INFLUENCE Flashcards
what is minority influence?
minority influence is important for the introduction and acceptance of new ideas and ways of doing things
what does a minority challenge?
a minority can challenge the beliefs and values of the majority, and as a result the change it brings about can often be deeper and longer lasting.
what is the difference between a minority and majority?
a minority brings about social change whereas, a majority keeps things constant
what are the 3 factors to minority influence?
commitment
consistency
flexibility
what is flexibility?
minorities are effective when they are flexible. this is because they are powerless meaning they have to negotiate position with the majority as they are unable to enforce it. a rigid minority is often seen as dogmatic leading to a rejection of their message, whereas, being too flexible and willing to compromise is seen as inconsistent
what is commitment?
minorities are most effective when they show commitment to a position. this is because it suggests a certainty, confidence and courage in the face of a hostile majority.
how might a minority show they are committed to a cause?
they may engage in riskier activities to bring attention to the cause. this is because the costs are higher so their commitment has to be high.
what is the augmentation principle?
this is when if a person performs an action when there are known constraints, their motive for acting must be stronger meaning the majority is more likely to take them seriously
what is consistency?
minorities are more effective when they are consistent as it makes others wonder why they believe in these other views if they hold them for a long time
what are the 2 types of consistency?
synchronic
diachronic
what is synchronic consistency?
this is when the group is consistent between all the members of the group. meaning everyone in the group has the same views, and therefore agree with and support each other.
what is diachronic consistency?
this is when the group doesn’t change their views over time and they stay consistent with these views
what is the snowball effect?
if the minority can get a few people to join their views, they can convince others and this leads to more and more people changing their opinions to that of the minority. this leads to the minority gaining momentum and eventually becoming a majority.
AO3: how is ‘Moscovicis supporting evidence’ a strength to minority influence?
One strength to research into minority influence is that there is supporting evidence. For example, Moscovici carried out a lab experiment to show the importance of consistency in minority influence. He used 192 women in groups of 6 and asked them to name the colour of the slides they were shown, they had to say either green or blue although all slides were various shades of blue. They found that the 2/6 in a group who were confederates when they said the slide was green, in 8.42% of the trials, the participants also said the green, however, 1.25% were not consistent with their answer. Therefore, this supports the idea that if a minority stay consistent, people are more likely to consider their view and follow them.
AO3: how is ‘Nemeths supporting evidence’ a strength to minority influence?
One strength to research into minority influence is that there is supporting evidence. For example, Nemeth argued that flexibility is more important than consistency. He conducted a lab experiment of a mock jury of 3 particpants and 1 confederate and they had to decide on the amount of compensation to be paid to the victim of a ski lift accident. He found that when the minority were consistent and asked for a low payout and refused to change, it had no effect on the majority, however, when they were willing to compromise and move some way to the majority, they changed their views and were willing to compromise. Therefore, this supports the idea that being appropriately flexible in what you want means that the majority are more willing to compromise their views.
AO3: how is ‘it lacks real life application’ a limitation to minority influence?
One limitation to research into minority influence is that it lacks real life application. This is because evidence has shown that people are more likely to make better decisions if there are dissenters in the group. However, this claim is usually only taken superficially in order to appear more democratic and superficial. Whereas, in reality most people become annoyed with dissenting views and individuals often ridicule minority views and marginalise them rather than taking the time to listen to what they have to say. Therefore, this suggests that in reality, minority influences are often not taken seriously in society and their views will never really get far in society.
