Social change processes- social influence

Question 1

what is social change?

Answer 1

• change that happens in a society and not at an individual level

Question 2

how can minorities become majorities?

Answer 2

• consistency
• flexibility
• commitment

Question 3

what is the snowball effect?

Answer 3

• members of the majority slowly becoming the minority
• as the minority grows in size, it attracts new members faster
• gets so big its now the majority

Question 4

what is social cryptoamnesia?

Answer 4

• after societal change individuals, who held previous old views
• refuse to admit they now hold the unpopular view
• they forget the role and dont give any credit to the minorities that changed society

Question 5

how does group membership affect social influence?

Answer 5

• more likely to have out vies changed by a member of an in group that we belong to
• age, gender, educational level and sexuality
• more likely to change the position of the majority than the outgroups

Question 6

how is informational social influence used by minorities?

Answer 6

• often used by minorities as they use reasoned arguments to convince members of the majority
• this lead to internalisation

Question 7

how do governments bring social change?

Answer 7

• they bring social change by the majority of the population by creating new laws, changing laws and enforcing them

Question 8

Evaluative research: Mass et al. group membership

Answer 8

• heterosexual minority group were more able than a homosexual minority group to convince a heterosexual minority group the importance of gay rights
• importance of group membership on minority influence

Question 9

Evaluative research: limitation majority sees them as an outgroup

Answer 9

• the majority member may see them as an outgroup
• therefore won’t listen to them

Question 9

examples of minority influence creating social change: climate change

Answer 9

• green issues have developed
• better information transmitted due to informational social influence

Question 10

examples of minority influence creating social change: smoking

Answer 10

• smoking in public areas such as pubs was very common
• changed due to legal changed and fines

Question 11

examples of minority influence creating social change: Suffragettes

Answer 11

• suffered force feeding= commitment
• showed their dedication to wanting to be able to vote= augmentation principle
• influenced attitudes and behaviours of the majority