Minority Influence

Question 1

What is minority influence?

Answer 1

• Occurs when a minority of people (or just one) persuade others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes or behaviours
• Likely to stem from ISI
• Leads to internalisation or ‘conversion’

Question 2

Outline the three characteristics for minority influence

Answer 2

• Consistency: If the minority is consistent (both overtime - diachronic - and with one another - synchronic) people consider their viewpoint more carefully
• Commitment: Minorities must show commitment to their cuase so thast people take them seriously, ‘augmentation principle’ is when people engage in extreme activities or make personal sacrifices to draw attention and prove their commitment to a cause
• Flexibility: Minorities who are flexible and meet the majority ‘half-way’ are more influential than those who are fixed n their views (appearing narrow-minded and uncooperative)

Question 3

Outline a key study into minority influence

Answer 3

• Moscovici
• 6 participants (including 2 confederates)
• Shown 36 blue slides which vaired in intensity
• Participants were asked to state the colour (blue or green) of a slide
• Consistent condition (confederates called all the slides green) = conversion on 8% of trials, 32% converted at least once
• Inconsistent condition (confederates called two-thirds of the slides green) = 1.25% converted at least once
• Control group (to ensure that it was not the task difficulty, but actually the presence of minority influence) = 0.25% answered incorrectly and misidentified the slide as green

Question 4

What is the “snowball effect”?

Answer 4

• The more people who ‘convert’ the faster the rate of conversion becomes; this is called the ‘snowball effect’
• Gradually the minority view becomes the accepted majority view and change has occurred

Question 5

Outline two strengths of minority influence

Answer 5

1.) Mosovici’s research

2.)

Question 6

Outline one limitation of minority influence