Minority Influence’s role in social change Flashcards
What is a good example of a minority group using the five techniques to impose social change and what did they achieve?
The suffragettes influenced the majority into allowing women the vote.
What are the five techniques used in minority influence to impose social change?
Drawing attention
Creating Cognitive Conflict
Consistency
The Augmentation Principle
The Snowball Effect
What does the 1st technique, ‘Drawing Attention’ involve and what is the aim?
This involves minorities getting the attention of the majority often through media.
Aim- hopes that if the majority listens, they may begin to agree with the message and internalise it.
What are two examples of how minorities can draw the attention of the majority?
Protests
Rallies
What did Burgoon (1995) suggest about minority influence that links to deviancy/unexpectancy?
Suggests that it’s the deviant and unexpected behaviour of minorities that grabs the attention of their ideas/ beliefs, leading to deeper thinking
In support of Burgoon (1995), What did Nemeth (2009) suggest about minority influence that links to dissenting?
Suggests that it’s the ‘dissent’ of minorities to existing norms that encourages individuals to think/ search out info regarding the minority’s view that may then lead to internalisation.
In contrast to both, Burgoon (1995) + Nemeth (2009), what did Mackie (1987) suggest about minority influence that links to the role of the majority?
Suggests the majority is more likely to influence views + they are rarely listening to minorities. This is because people believe they hold the most important view as it is common to be apart of the majority, instead of being uncomfortable dissenting.
What is the 2nd technique ‘ Creating Cognitive Conflict’ ?
This involves creating a ‘thought conflict’ in the thoughts of the majority, which then encourages them to be open to the viewpoint of the minority.
How was consistency investigated and by who?
It was investigated in the minority influence study involving blue-green slides, tested by Moscovici.
What does ‘being consistent’ involve?
This involves sticking to your viewpoint and not changing your mind to bring about more influential change.
Often have to be flexible to avoid extremity.
What is an example of people being consistent?
Politicians who constantly change their views are less influential than those who stick to one consistent viewpoint.
What does the 4th technique ‘The Augmentation Principle’ involve?
This involves a minority appearing more committed to their beliefs by demonstrating that they are willing to suffer for what they believe in, in hopes that people view them seriously/truthfully.
What is an example of people demonstrating ‘The Augmentation Principle’ ?
E.g suffragettes were willing to be put in prison / take part in hunger strikes to make their argument more augmented. This is due to seeming more committed.
What does the 5th technique ‘The Snowball Effect’ involve and what is the outcome?
This involves the minority’s populations increasing as members of the majority begins to join them, like a snowball gaining size.
This eventually accelerates, with larger numbers joining until the minority becomes the majority.
What is a key factor to the ‘Snowball Effect’ regarding minority influence?
Minority influence tends to be gradual and it takes a significant amount of time to instigate change.
