Social influence and social change

Question 1

what are the lessons from minority influence research

Answer 1

1. Drawing attention- provides social proof of the problem
2. consistency -
3. deeper processing of the issue-
4. the augmentation principle - individuals may risk their lives for a cause. Reinforces their message
5. the snowball effect - gradually can get the attention of others such as the government
6. social cryptomnesia - ppl have a memory that change has occurred but don’t remember how it happened

Question 2

what lessons can we gain from conformity research

Answer 2

Asch highlighted the importance of dissent in one of his variations where the confederate gave the correct answer throughout. This broke the power of the majority and encouraged others to do the same. Such dissent has the potential to ultimately lead to social change

An approach used to environmental and health campaigns which exploit conformity processes by appealing to normative social influence. They do this by providing information on what other people are doing. E.g. reducing litter dropping or smoking.

Question 3

what lessons can we gain from obedience research

Answer 3

Milgram demonstrated the importance of disobedient role models. In the variation where a confederate Teacher refuses to give shocks to the learner the rate of obedience plummeted.

Zimbardo (2007) suggested how 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.