Social Influence : Minority Influence

Question 1

Minority influence

Answer 1

A form of social influence where a minority of people persuade others to adopt their belief, attitudes and behaviour (leads to internalisation or conversion)

Question 2

How can a minority change the majority?

Answer 2

• consistency
• commitment
• flexibility

Question 3

Minority influence - Moscovicis consistency study (1969) : Aim

Answer 3

To see if a consistent minority could influence a majority to give an incorrect answer

Question 4

Minority influence - Moscovicis consistency study (1969) : Procedure

Answer 4

172 female Ps in groups of 6. They were shown 36 blue slides with differences in brightened and vibrancy and were asked if the slides were blue or green.
Consistent condition - two confederates always said green
Inconsistent condition - two confederates said green 2/3 of the time
Control condition - no confederates

Question 5

Minority influence - Moscovicis consistency study (1969) : Findings

Answer 5

Consistent - 8% said green
Inconsistent - 1% said green
Control - 0.25% said green

Question 6

Minority influence - Moscovicis consistency study (1969) : Conclusion

Answer 6

The minority can influence the majority, and a higher consistency has a higher impact

Question 7

Minority influence - Moscovicis consistency study (1969) : Disadvs

Answer 7

• lacks ecological validity (lab setting)
• biased sample (all female)
• ethical issues (deception)
• lacks mundane realism

Question 8

Consistency

Answer 8

Always behaving in the same or a similar way

Question 9

Commitment

Answer 9

Being dedicated to a cause/ activity. Helps influence majority as if minority is willing to make sacrifices/ suffer it gives their message credibility

Question 10

Commitment study - Xie et al (2011)

Answer 10

Found that 10% of committed opinion holders are necessary to tip the majority

Question 11

Flexibility

Answer 11

The ballots/ willingness to change or compromise. Minorities who are rigid and uncompromising in their beliefs/ behaviour will be less persuasive, to be successful the minority needs to be flexible and prepared to adapt

Question 12

Flexibility study - Nemeth + Brilmeyer (1987)

Answer 12

Idk

Question 13

Social change - DCDASS

Answer 13

1. Drawing attention (by using social proof)
2. Consistency (of message and intent)
3. Deeper processing (minority creates conflict in what majority believes)
4. Augmentation principle (minority suffers for their views
5. Snowball effect (minorities small effect spreads)
6. Social cryptoamnesia (people know change has occurred but don’t remember how it happened)

Question 14

Bashier (2008)

Answer 14

Investigated why people resist social change (even if they agree with it). Ps less likely to create social change if it involved acting in a stereotypical way - to not enforce the stereotype)