Social Change (Social Influence)

Question 1

Social Change

Answer 1

Occurs when whole societies, rather than just individuals, adopt new attitudes, beliefs and ways of doing things.

Question 2

How do a minority influence become successful in creating social change?

Answer 2

Through showing consistency, commitment and flexibility in their views

Gradually the minority view will become the majority due to the snowball effect

Question 3

Snowball effect

Answer 3

Minority view catches attention and becomes a majority view

Question 4

Social Cryptomnesia

Answer 4

People have the memory that social change occurred but cannot remember how it happened. Public opinion changes gradually over time and is accepted as the norm

Question 5

Obedience (social change)

Answer 5

Government is a minority influence that can enforce social change by creating laws

When laws are created, societies change to avoid punishment

Question 6

Positive Evaluations of Social Change

Answer 6

Civil rights movements were successful by taking a consistently unified front through non-violent protests

Showed commitment to their ideals through enduring abuse

Led to Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts

Question 7

Negative Evaluations of minority influence

Answer 7

Not all social norms interventions have led to social change- change is slow if at all

Controlled lab experiments that establish cause and effect is not possible for research on social change