Social Influence and social change

Question 1

lessons from minority influence

Answer 1

1) civil rights march draw attention to segregation
2) minority of population marched and were consistent
3) deeper processing made people think
4) Augmentation principal (freedom riders on buses)
5) snowball effect (Luther, Civil acts, prohibit discrimination)
6) social cryptomnesia (memory of change but don’t know how)

Question 2

lessons for conformity

Answer 2

• dissenter makes change more likely
  Asch research, one confed, broke power of minority
• campaigns (environmental) exploit conformity with NSI, say what others are doing, draw attention to majority behavior

Question 3

lessons from obedience

Answer 3

• disobedient models, change more likely,
  Milgram, disobedient models refuse - obedience plummet
• gradual commitment lead to obedience
  Zimbardo, obey small instructions, makes difficult to resist bigger ones, first into new behaviour

Question 4

positive evaluation:

Research support for NSI - nolan, notes on homes

Answer 4

• Nolan, notes on homes, reduce energy, large decrease in energy use, control group more energy use
• conformity to social change with NSI

Question 5

negative evaluation:

Indirectly effective - effects delayed

Answer 5

• Neneth, effects of MI indirect and delayed, decades for attitudes to change
• a limited explanation because effects are fragile and role narrow

Question 6

negative evaluation:

identification overlooked - bashir, environmentalists

Answer 6

• Bashir, people won’t be environmentally friendly, not want “environmentalist” label, activists viewed negatively
• this is something minorities should aviod