Role of social influence processes in social change

Question 1

What is social change?

Answer 1

The process whereby society changes beliefs, attitudes and behaviour to create new social norms

Question 2

How does social change occur?

Answer 2

It occurs continually with minority influence being the main driving force for social change through minority viewpoints slowly winning over the majority over to what will become the new social norms

Question 3

An example of positive societal change?

Answer 3

increased rights for women

Question 4

An example of negative societal change?

Answer 4

Adoption of eugenic beliefs which saw some people as genetically inferior during the 1930’s in Germany

Question 5

How does minority influence change attitudes and beliefs over time?

Answer 5

It incurs a strong, long-lasting form of conformity involving fundamental changes in belief systems

Question 6

What is the moment of critical mass?

Answer 6

The minority viewpoint becomes that of the mainstream and the majority will begin to conform to the new viewpoint through compliance.

Question 7

How does the mainstream viewpoint of a minority become more permanent?

Answer 7

Through identification with the beliefs

Question 8

What type of process is social change?

Answer 8

Slow, gradual

Question 9

What does cryptoamnesia mean?

Answer 9

Snowball effect

Question 10

How is social change being slow beneficial?

Answer 10

Allows for new ideas to be tested and for their suitability to be checked for society

Question 11

What did Martin, Hewstone and Martin look at?

Answer 11

To see if opinions given by the minority or majority group influence are more resistant to conflicting opinions

Question 12

What was the procedure of Martin, Hewstone and Martins study?

Answer 12

48 British university students who had an initial attitude of being supportive of voluntary euthanasia received two messages.
The first message gave 6 arguments against voluntary euthanasia and was supported by either minority or majority influence.
The second message conflicted with the first message by giving 6 arguments for voluntary euthanasia

Question 13

What were the results of Martin, Hewstone and Martins study?

Answer 13

The attitudes following minority support for the pro-attitudinal message were more resistant to change following the counter-attitudinal message, than if the pro attitudinal message had been given majority support

Question 14

What conclusions can be drawn from Martin, Hewstone and Martins study?

Answer 14

Minority influence creates systematic processing - consideration of its viewpoints, leading to attitudes that are resistant to counter persuasion.
Minorities are subject to a higher level of processing than those of majorities