Social Influence- Minority influence Flashcards
Minority influence -
A form of social influence in which a minority of people (sometimes just one person) persuade others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes or behaviours. Leads to internalisation or conversion, in which private attitudes are changed as well as public behaviours.
Consistency -
Minority influence is most effective if the minority keeps the same beliefs, both over time and between all the individuals that form the minority. It’s effective because it draws attention to the minority view.
Commitment -
Minority influence is more powerful if the minority demonstrates dedication to their position, for example, by making personal sacrifices. This is effective because it shows the minority is not acting out of self-interest.
Flexibility -
Relentless consistency could be counterproductive if it is seen by the majority as unbending and unreasonable. Therefore minority influence is more effective if the minority show flexibility by accepting the possibility of compromise.
What is minority influence?
Minority influence occurs when a small group or individual (the minority) influences the beliefs or behaviors of others, often leading to internalization, where both public behavior and private beliefs change.
How does consistency play a role in minority influence?
Consistency, both synchronic (agreement within the minority) and diachronic (consistency over time), increases interest and makes others reconsider their views, as it suggests the minority’s position is valid and worth considering.
What is the role of commitment in minority influence?
Commitment, especially through extreme actions that involve risk, demonstrates dedication to the cause, making the majority pay more attention and consider the minority’s viewpoint (augmentation principle).
Why is flexibility important in minority influence?
Flexibility prevents the minority from appearing rigid or dogmatic. Nemeth (1986) argued that being open to reasonable counter-arguments and adapting views makes the minority more persuasive and less off-putting to the majority.
What is the process of change in minority influence?
The minority’s consistency, commitment, and flexibility encourage deeper processing of their message. Over time, more people convert to the minority position, creating a snowball effect until the minority view becomes the majority view.
What research supports the role of consistency in minority influence?
Moscovici et al.’s study showed that consistent minority opinions had a greater influence than inconsistent ones. Wood et al. (1994) found that consistent minorities were most influential in a meta-analysis of nearly 100 studies.
What research supports the role of deeper processing in minority influence?
Martin et al. (2003) found that people were less likely to change their opinions after hearing a minority viewpoint compared to a majority one, suggesting the minority’s message was more deeply processed and had a lasting effect.
What is a limitation of minority influence research?
Many studies use artificial tasks, such as identifying slide colors, which lack real-world relevance. This limits the external validity of findings, as real-life minority influence often involves more significant outcomes, like jury decisions or political campaigns.
What does Moscovici’s private response variation show about minority influence?
When participants wrote their answers privately, agreement with the minority increased, suggesting that people were convinced by the minority’s argument but reluctant to publicly associate with it due to fear of being seen as radical or awkward.
What is a limitation of minority influence research in real-world applications?
Real-life minority influence is more complex than research settings, as majorities often have more power and status, while minorities face hostility and rely on tight-knit support networks. This complexity is not fully captured in controlled studies.
Why might real-life minority influence differ from research findings?
In real life, factors like power dynamics, status, and the intensity of opposition are more pronounced, making minority influence more challenging and nuanced than in controlled experimental settings.
