Minority Influence

Question 1

What is minority influence

Answer 1

A type of social influence which motivates individuals to reject established majority group norms

Question 2

How is it different to majority influence

Answer 2

It is always ISI and is slower and is more likely to lead to internalisation

Question 3

What three qualities should a minority influence have to influence the majority

Answer 3

• Consistency
• Commitment
• Flexible

Question 4

Explain consistency

Answer 4

-Means they are consistent in their approach

to persuade and maintain credibility, truth and value

Question 5

What is intra-individual consistency

Answer 5

-individual members maintaining the same approach. Synchronic

Question 6

What is inter-individual consistency

Answer 6

-consistency in the group’s approach and views. Diachronic

Question 7

What did Moscovici find

Answer 7

The importance of consistency. In a group, when 2 confederates consistently gave the wrong answer - 8.2% agreed with them but when they were inconsistent it dropped to 1.25%

Question 8

Explain commitment

Answer 8

• Making sacrifices - augmentation principle

- Means they are taken seriously and they draw attention

Question 9

Explain flexibility

Answer 9

• don’t want to appear dogmatic

- Nemeth 1986 proves this

Question 10

Explain the snowball effect

Answer 10

-minority growing in size to become the majority

Question 11

Explain social cryptoamnesia

Answer 11

-The slow process in which we forget that views were once held only by the minority .

Question 12

What happens when a minority influences a social change

Answer 12

There comes a tipping point which means it turns into the majority. Compliance and NSI now comes into play - and later on obedience

Question 13

What research has proved that NSI is involved in social change

Answer 13

Noten et al - use of door hangers to show that the majority are decreasing their energy consumption as well as a control group. Those which said the majority were decreased their own

Question 14

What are social norm interventions

Answer 14

Used when there’s a misconception of a social norm

Question 15

Summarise, using key works, the process of social change

Answer 15

• The minority uses consistency, commitment and flexibility
• due to ISI, more people begin to change their views and identification or internalization happens
• snowball effect
• social cryptoamenesia
• NSI and compliance so you don’t stand out. Most agree anyway
• Laws are introduced due to the change so obedience