SOCIAL INFLUENCE - Minority Influence

Question 1

What is the snowball effect?

Answer 1

• When the minority influence spreads more as people start to consider the issue being raised and convert to the minority viewpoint
• It eventually reaches a tipping point, where minority becomes the majority

Question 2

Minority influence definition

Answer 2

• Minority influence is a type of social influence that motivates individuals to reject established majority group norms
• This is achieved through the process of conversion, where majorities become gradually won over to a minority viewpoint

Question 3

What is social crypto- amnesia?

Answer 3

• Minority influence is a slow process and may even be unconscious
• SCA is when the individual is not aware where the new ideas originated from

Question 4

How are minority groups more likely to be convincing?

Answer 4

• Commitment (demonstrating their dedication not their beliefs by eg. making sacrifices/ risks to prove they are not acting out of self interest)
• Consistency (repeating the same message to draw attention to the minority view and makes the majority reassess and challenge their own beliefs)
• Flexibility (show that they are willing to listen to other opinions, negotiate, compromise etc in order to make the majority consider the argument more seriously)

Question 5

What is the limitation of minority influence?

Answer 5

Most of MI studies are based on experiments conducted in laboratories settings and use artificial tasks that do not reflect real life events. This lacks ecological validity - eg. IRL the majority has more power and status compared to minority groups (not just no. of people)

Question 6

What are the strengths of MI?

Answer 6

• Wood et al. (1994) carried out a meta- analysis of 100 similar studies and concluded minorities with the most consistency were the most influential. It suggests that this is a major factor in MI.
• Martin et al (2003) gave participants a message supporting a viewpoint and measured support levels. In one condition participants heard a minority view agreeing with the message and in another condition they heard a majority view. Participants were then exposed to a conflicting view and attitudes were measured again. Participants exposed to the minority view were less willing to change their opinions - suggesting a minority message is more deeply processed and has a more enduring effect.

Question 7

Who considered that minority influence would lead to conversion?

Answer 7

Moscovici (1985)