Social Change

Question 1

what is social change

Answer 1

when a society adopts a new ay of thinking which then becomes the normality

Question 2

what are the 6 step processes involved in social change

Answer 2

1. drawing attention
2. consistency
3. deeper processing
4. the augmentation principle
5. the snowball effect
6. social cryptomnesia

Question 3

explain the deeper processing stage of social change

Answer 3

people start to question their beliefs and think deeply

Question 4

explain the augmentation principle stage of social change

Answer 4

individuals risk their lives which indicates a strong belief and reinforces their message

Question 5

explain the snowball effect stage of social change

Answer 5

more and more people support the minority position until the minority becomes the majority

Question 6

explain the social cyryptoamnesia stage of social support

Answer 6

where people have a memory that change has occured but dont know how it happened

Question 7

explain how normative social influence leads to social change finally occuring

Answer 7

• the snowball effect has occured and the majority have adopted a new way of thinking
• there will still be people who havent converted
• at this point these people are the minority and will feel the need to conform

Question 8

explain research into whether conformity was a process that led to social change

Answer 8

nolan et al

• investigated wether NSI led to social change
• they hung messages o the front door of houses
• the key message was that “most residents were trying to reduce their energy usage”
• a control group where messages just asked them to save energy without reference to other people
• a significant decrease in energy usage was found in the first group