Social Influence - Minority influence, consistency, commitment and flexibility Flashcards
What is minority influence?
Refers to a type of social influence where individuals reject established majority groups. It is achieved through a process of conversion, where the majority are gradually ‘won over’ to a minority viewpoint.
What is conversion? How does it occur?
The process where the majority gradually adopt a new minority viewpoint or behaviour. This new belief or behaviour becomes accepted both publicly and privately.
What type of conformity is conversion?
Internalisation - happens through informational social influence. This means that the minority provide new information and ideas to the majority
What takes longer to achieve: minority or majority influence? Why?
Minority influence takes longer to achieve than majority because majority influence is based on compliance
How does consistency bring about minority influence?
For the minority to influence the majority, the minority needs to be consistent in both their opinions and behaviour. This indicates that the minority are committed.
How does commitment bring about minority influence?
Seen as stronger if the minority has had to resist social pressure and abuse because of their opinions and behaviour.
- Consistency and commitment create doubts in established norms. Leads to people re-examining their own behaviours and beliefs
How does flexibility bring about minority influence?
Consistent minorities that are inflexible are not persuasive - those who are flexible are seen as more persuasive.
What is systematic processing? How does it occur?
If the minority is consistent and committed, there is a greater chance that individuals will engage in systematic processing. This is where the minority viewpoint is carefully considered over time.
What is superficial processing?
A viewpoint that is instantly dismissed without analysis is said to undergo superficial processing.
How can the minority get the majority to consider an issue?
If they present arguments for and against. ‘Style of thinking’ . This increases the influence of the minority, so thinking style is important. When the minority can get the majority to discuss and debate an issue, they become more persuasive.
How can identification boost minority influence?
If the minority can identify with the majority, they can be more persuasive. This can be achieved by appealing similarities.
What is cryptomnesia?
Failure to remember the origin of a change, in which people know that a change has occurred in society, but forget how this change occurred;
What is the snowball effect?
As more people change their attitudes, change quickens –> VAN AVERRMAET (1966)
