social influence and social change

Question 1

strength of social influence and social change

Answer 1

1. research support for normative influence
   - Nolan et al (2008) aimed to see if they could change peoples energy use habits
   - hung messages of residence trying to reduce their energy use on doors for a month
   - control group had messages asking to save energy but made no reference to other peoples behaviour
   - significant decrease in energy usage in the first group
   - shows conformity can lead to social change
2. minority influence explains change
   - Nemeth (2009) claims social change is due to type of thinking that minorities inspire
   - when people consider minority argument, they engage in divergent thinking which is broad and people actively search for information
   - leads to better decisions and creative solutions
   - shows why dissenting minorites are impoertant as they open mins in ways the majority could not

Question 2

limitations of social influence and social change

Answer 2

1. role of deeper processing
   - deeper processing may not play a role in how minorities bring about social change
   - mackie (1987) presents evidence that majority influence may create deeper processing if you do not share their view
   - forced to think long and hard about the minority opinion if we do not share it
   - cast doubt on its validity as a explaintation of social change

Question 3

what are the steps in how minority social influence creates social change

Answer 3

1. drawing attention through social proof
2. consistency
3. deeper processing of the issue
4. the augmentation principle
5. the snowball effect
6. social crytomnesia

Question 4

drawing attention through social proof

Answer 4

1950 segregation was prevalent in all parts of america the civil right marches drew attention to this issue

Question 5

consistency

Answer 5

civil right activist remained consistent in presenting the same non violent messages

Question 6

deeper processing of the issue

Answer 6

those who had accepted the status quo began to think about the unjustness of it

Question 7

augmentation principle

Answer 7

freedom riders challenged the racial segregation of transport and many were beaten

Question 8

snowball effect

Answer 8

as activist got more attention form the government more and more people backed the movement and in 1964 the us civil rights act prohibited discrimination

Question 9

social cyptomieisa

Answer 9

people have no memory of the process that led to change but are aware that a change did happen

Question 10

what are lessons from conformity research

Answer 10

• knowledge of dissenters
• environmental and health campaigns exploit conformity process by appealing to NSI
• provide information about what other are doing
• social change is encouraged by drawing attention to what the majority are doing

Question 11

what are lessons from obedience research

Answer 11

• zimbardo suggest obedience can be used to create social change through the process of gradual commitment
• once a small instruction is obeyed, it becomes more difficult to resist a bigger one