Social change Flashcards
What is social change?
Social change involves the way in which society develops through shifts in
people’s beliefs, attitudes and behaviour.
This is a continuous process, but has a gradual pace with minority influence being the main driving force for social change through minority viewpoints slowly winning the majority over.
Negative example of social change
Galton’s basic argument was that not all people in society are born
equal. Desirable human traits, such as intelligence, morality and
civility are inherited and found in some social and cultural groups
(the genetically fit) more than others (the genetically unfit).
Those groups with genetic advantage should be allowed to breed
for the good of society, whilst those without should be eliminated –
breeding out undesirable characteristics such as disability and
disease.
This saw people of different races as genetically inferior, leading to mass extermination of whole groups of people, as done so by Nazis.
Positive example of social change
People power, 1986
- Philippines
- 3 days
- non violent
What are the steps for social change?
Consistency, deeper processing, drawing attention, the augmentation principle, the snowball effect, social crypto amnesia, normative social influence, gradual commitment
What is the first step for social change?
Consistency: a consistent message
appears more credible and can help
convince a majority.
What is the second step for social change?
Deeper processing: the more people think about the issue at hand, rather than blindly accepting it, the more they will be able to challenge the existing social norms to bring about changes.
What is the third step for social change?
Drawing attention: the majority must be made aware of the need for the change.
What is the fourth step for social change?
The augmentation principle: majority pays attention to selfless and risky actions being taken by the minority group and are more likely to re-examine their views due to the personal sacrifices made.
What is the fifth step for social change?
The snowball effect: more and more people begin paying attention, the minority viewpoint gathers momentum.
What is the sixth step for social change?
Social cryptoamnesia: majority knows that the social change has occurred but the source of the change and the message itself have become disassociated- they do not recall how this change occurred.
What is the seventh step for social change?
Normative social influence: social change can be encouraged by reporting the behaviour/attitudes of the majority to urge others to follow suit.
What is the eighth step for social change?
Gradual commitment: ‘the foot in the door technique,’ meaning that people will effectively find themselves adopting a new way of behaving gradually over a period of time.
Why do people resist social change?
P: Minority influence can act as a barrier to social change.
E: Bashir et al (2013) were interested in investigating why so many
people resist social change even when they believe it is needed. He
concluded that this can be out of fear of being labelled.
C: Some environmental groups such as feminists often live up to the
stereotypes associated with those groups which can be off-putting
for outsiders.
Research support for NSI
P: The process of social change is supported by NSI.
E: Nolan et al (2008) conducted a study over one month in California
which involved hanging messages on the front doors of people’s
houses in San Diego encouraging them to reduce energy
consumption by indicating that most other residents in the
neighbourhood were already doing this.
As a control, some houses received a message about energy with no
reference to the behaviour of other people in the area.
C: This shows that the experimental group significantly lowered their
energy consumption, conformity led to social change.
What is the link between minority influence and cognitive processing.
P: Minority influence and majority influence may involve different
levels of cognitive processing.
E: Moscovici believes that a minority viewpoint forces individuals to
think more deeply about an issue. However, Mackie (1987)
counters this, suggesting the opposite, that when a majority group is
thinking of acting in a way that is different from ourselves we are
forced to think even more deeply about their reasons.
C: Casting doubt on the validity of Moscovici’s minority influence
theory.
