Social Influence and Social Change Flashcards
What is Social Change?
The process by which society changes its beliefs, attitudes and behaviours to create new social norms. It’s a continual process which happens at a gradual pace.
Social Change is a continual process which happens at a ________ pace.
Gradual
What is an example of social change?
Women’s rights
What are the stages for how Minorities are involved in social change?
1) They draw attention to an issue
2) They express consistency of their position
3) This causes deeper processing of issue
4) This leads to augmentation principle
5) This leads to snowball effect
6) This leads to social cryptomnesia
What happens when minority causes deeper processing of issue?
People who accepted status quo begin to question their beliefs
Augmentation → minority suffer
What is Augmentation principle?
- When majority begins to pay more attention because minority are willing to suffer for their views.
- They’re seen as committed so taken more seriously
What happens in Snowball Effect?
When minority initially has a small impact, but this then spreads more widely and more people consider issue
What is Social Cryptomnesia?
Where people have a memory that social change occurred but don’t remember how it happened
What are the two things creating and maintaining Social Change?
- Conformity
- Obedience
How does Conformity create Social Change?
1) Dissent has power to lead social change
2) By breaking power of majority, dissenters encourage others to dissent
What are some examples of how Conformity creates Social Change?
1) Environmental and health campaigns exploit conformity by doing NSI.
2) They show what other people are doing, and gets other people to conform.
How does Obedience create Social Change?
1) Obedience has the potential to lead social change
2) Milgram’s study shows how disobedient role models meant that real participants also disobeyed.
3) Gradual commitment - once a small instruction is obeyed, it’s difficult to resist a bigger one
How does Conformity maintain Social Change?
1) People may conform to the new norms by compliance
2) They want to fit in with people - NSI
How does Obedience maintain Social Change?
1) A new social norm have laws and rules put in place to ensure that people obey the new attitudes and behaviours
2) Homosexuality was illegal - now it isn’t
Using an example, explain the role of social influence processes in social change. [6 marks]
1) Social change definition
2) Minorities - flexible, commitment, consistent
3) Snowball effect and Snowball Cryptoamnesia
4) Homosexuality example
5) Campaigner NSI Example
Nolan et Al - message on door
What is a Strength of the Social Influence and Social Change theory?
- There’s research support for NSI in social change
- Nolan et Al (2008) put messages on doors that said residents were trying to reduce energy usage. A control group put up messages on saving energy only
- Significant decrease in energy usage in first group showing conformity can lead to social change through NSI
Social change is slow = minority influence is weak
What is a Weakness of Social Influence and Social Change theory?
- Social changes happen slowly if it happens at all
- It took decades to change attitudes against drink-driving and smoking
- Suggests effects of minority influence like consistency, flexibility and commitment is weaker than first thought
- Limits use of minority influence
