Social Change

Question 1

Social change:

Answer 1

When the whole society rather than just an individual adopt new attitudes, beliefs, etc

Question 2

Conditions for social change:

Answer 2

• drawing attention to the issue
• consistency
• deeper processing of the issue
• augmentation principle
• snowball effect
• social cryptomnesia

Question 3

Drawing attention to the issue - social change:

Answer 3

Expressing an opinion that opposes the majority through social proof

Question 4

Consistency - social change

Answer 4

When minorities express their views consistently they are taken more seriously

• meta analysis of 97 (wood et al 1994)

Question 5

Deeper processing of the issue - social change :

Answer 5

• we examine the minority position more deeply
• people who accepted the status quo begin to think more deeply about the injustice of it

Question 6

The augmentation principle - social change:

Answer 6

If there are risks associated with putting forward the point of view then the views are taken more seriously

Question 7

The snowball effect (van avermaet 1996) - social change

Answer 7

• minority view catch momentum and becomes a majority view
• private acceptance -> public expression

Question 8

Social cryptomnesia - social change

Answer 8

• people have the memory that social change occurred but cannot remember how
• public opinion gradually changes over time and is accepted as the norm

Question 9

Social impact theory - social force

Answer 9

• latane (1981) ‘ social force is generated by persuasion, threat, humour and embarrassment’’
• social influence occurs when the combined efforts of 3 factors are significant enough: strength, immediacy, numbers

Question 10

Terrorism - social change

Answer 10

• kruglanski (2003) the aim of terrorism is to bring about social change when direct social force is not possible (usually carried out by minority groups)
• kruglanski (2007) fully committed : suicide bombers motivation and quest for personal significance (devoted motivated and committed )

Question 11

Case study - social change

Answer 11

McReynolds and Stapleton (2000)
- 2997 smokers and 2471 ex smokers were shown either anti smoking advertising were controls or were shown an anti smoking campaign etc
- 9.8 % of smokers stopped and 4.3% of ex smokers relapsed

Question 12

Social change evaluation:

Answer 12

Negative:

• minority influence does not necessarily lead to social change

Minority influence is only indirectly effective
- not all social norms interventions have led to social change (change is slow if at all)
- nemeth (1986) - influence is indirect and delayed
- drinking and smoking campaigns are not always very succeful

Role of deeper processing
- different cognitive processes for minority and majority influence (moscivici)
- Mackie (1987) disagreed and presented evidence that it is majority influence that creates deeper processing (like to believe people which share our view point)

Positive:

Research support
- Nolan et al 2008 investigated whether social influence processesed to a reduction
in energy consumption in a community
- found a significant decrease in energy usage in the first group (signs were hung)
- knowing people were saving energy lead to social change (nsi)