Minority Influence Content Flashcards
What is minority influence?
A form of social influence where members of the majority group change their beliefs/behaviours as a result of their exposure to a persuasive minority
What process does minority influence create and explain what it is?
A conversion process: provided that the minority adopt a committed and consistent approach, people start to ask why the majority holds their position, so they often internalise the minority approach as they want to really understand the beliefs
Why is converting to the minority a deeper and longer lasting process?
People internalise the minority view, rather than just ‘going along with it’ as you would for a majority influence
What three factors must the minority group adopt to convert a majority?
. Consistency
. Commitment
. Flexibility
How do a majority group initially view a minority view?
As an error, something that shouldn’t be there
How does consistency increase minority influence?
If you sustain consistent views over times, others will have increased levels of interest and the majority will consider the minority view more carefully, really taking on board their views and thinking about their own majority views
What are the two types of consistency and explain them?
. Synchronic consistency: multiple individuals in minority say the same thing (group size)
. Diachronic consistency: the same minority view is upheld for a long time
Both types are often use so the minority influence is stronger
What is commitment in minority influence?
Demonstrating dedication to the minority view, showing the actions of the minority group aren’t out of self-interest
What extreme form of commitment produces the strongest minority influence?
Engaging in quite extreme activities as it draws attention to the minority view. These activities must be somewhat risky for the minority as it shows how committed they are to the cause
Why is commitment so important in minority influence?
It suggests certainty, courage and confidence in the face of a hostile majority which is admired by the majority
What is the difference between the cost to join a majority vs minority view and what does this suggest about commitment?
The cost of joining a minority view is far more than staying in a majority view. This suggests commitment must naturally be greater for the minority as they have more drive to be ‘different’
How is the augmentation principle related to commitment?
The majority will pay more attention to the minority view when they see how dangerously committed the minority are, so will consider the view themselves
What did Nemeth (1986) argue?
. Consistency isn’t the only important factor to minority influence as it can be interpreted negatively
- repeating the same arguments can be seen as inflexible
. Members of the minority must be ready to adapt their minority view and be ready to accept valid counter-arguments
What is the key to successful minority influence?
A balance between consistency and flexibility
How did Altemeyer test relationship between RWA and obedience?
Lab experiment where participants were ordered to give themselves increasing levels of shock when they made mistakes on the learning task
