Social influence booklet 4: Minority influence Flashcards
Define minority influence…
This is when one person or a small group influences the beliefs and behaviour of the majority, they get others to change their behaviour
Define Social Change
When a society adopts a new belief or way of believing that then becomes widely accepted as the norm
Minority influences and social change is more likely to happen when there is… ?
Consistency, commitment and flexibility
Explain the variable: consistency…
-If the minority sticks to their viewpoint over time and between members of the minority, it makes others reassess the situaiton and consider the issue more carefully
-Makes otheres more likely to change their behaviour and bring about social change
Explain the variable: Commitment
-If the minority are dedicated to their view/opinion it makes other consider changing
-This is because it shows other confidence and certainty in their view
Explain the variable : flexibility
-Where the minority are not too strict or rigid in opinion, effective at changing other people’s behaviour as they believe in compromise
What happens as a result of the three variables?
The snowball effect and social cryptoamnesia can occur
What is the snowball effect?
-In order for social change to occur it should start out as a minority perspective until gradually more people adopt the view
-This grows until it’s widely accepted by majority
What is social cryptoamnesia?
-Over a period of time, views become dominant position in society and people tend to forget origins
-Known as social cryptoamnesia and can explain attitudes to recycling in the uk
What was Rosa Parks story?
-She worked as a seamstress
-She refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery Alabama 1955
-Leading to black community organizing a boycott
-Helping to initiate civil rights movements against racial segregation
How did Rosa Parks story show commitment?
Her refusal to give up her bus seat even though she would be convicted for it demonstrated commitment
How did Rosa Parks story show consistency?
The boycotts involved the consistent refusal to use buses by the bus company causing the company to suffer a significant and noticeable loss of money, this boycott was only effective because of its consistency
What was the suffragette movement?
-19th century women had no place in politics, organised campaigns for women’s suffrage as a result began to appear in 1866
-Suffragettes started in 1903 with Emmeline Parkhurst setting up a society called the “women’s social and political union”
-Rough treatment of suffragettes as they were arrested and jailed during protests, causing sympathy and support
How did the suffragette movement show all 3 variables?
Consistent - Message was consistent as in 1909 votes for women paper sold 20,000 copies each week
Commitment - Women’s social and political union willing to use violence (smashing windows/arson) and Emily Davidson ran out on a race course in front of the King’s horse killing herself
Flexibility - During the war women paused the movement to help and in 1918 women were allowed to vote over 30 (compromise)
What are the evaluations of minority influence?
😂Evidence to support (Moscovici)
😂Evidence to support (Nemeth)
😢Most research using lab experiment so demand characteristics + artificial situations (refer to earlier studies)
