Social Influence: Minority Influence & Social Change - MR

Question 1

Here is the first mark point for a definition of minority influence ‘minority influence is a form of social influence where members of the majority group change their beliefs or behaviours because of the minority influencing their decision, this usually leads to internalisation’.

What is the second mark point to complete the definition?

Answer 1

The minority must be consistent, show commitment and be flexible in their views/beliefs.

Question 2

Which minority influence key term is being described? “Members of the minority should not be too dogmatic and rigid, they should adapt their point of view and accept reasonable counterarguments”

Answer 2

Flexibility

Question 3

What key term is being described here: The minority keep repeating the same beliefs to the majority both over time and between all individuals that form the minority group.

Answer 3

Consistency

Question 4

Describe Moscovici’s sample.

Answer 4

172 female ppts

Question 5

In Moscovici’s research, what % of the majority changed their mind when the minority inconsistently called the blue slides ‘green’?

Answer 5

1%

Question 6

In Moscovici’s study what % of the majority changed their mind to be in line with the minority when the minority were consistent and committed?

Answer 6

8%

Question 7

What must the minority do to show commitment?

Answer 7

Show dedication and make personal sacrifices.

Question 8

What methodology did Moscovici use to investigate minority influence?

Answer 8

Lab experiment

Question 9

Which aspects of minority influence did Moscovici study?

Answer 9

Consistency and commitment.

Question 10

Give one weakness of Moscovici’s research into consistency and commitment.

Answer 10

It lacks mundane realism.

Question 11

Why does Moscovici’s research lack mundane realism?

Answer 11

Unrealistic task of stating the colour of a slide.

Question 12

Nemeth and Brillmayer (1987) created a mock jury situation and found that when a confederate put forward an alternative point of view and refused to compromise did not influence the majority. However, the a confederate who compromised did have an influence on the rest of the group.

Does this support or contradict minority influence?

Which aspect does this research support or contradict?

Answer 12

Support
Flexibility

Question 13

What is the real life evidence/example that supports minority influence?

Answer 13

The suffragette movement.

Question 14

How did the suffragettes show commitment?

Answer 14

They showed dedication by going on hunger strike.

Question 15

How did the suffragettes show commitment?

Answer 15

They showed dedication by going on hunger strike.

Question 16

The suffragettes accepted that women should have a voting age of 30 when men were able to vote from 21. What aspect of minority influence is this an example of?

Answer 16

Flexibility.

Question 17

Why is the lack of mundane realism in Moscovici’s study a weakness?

Answer 17

It is difficult to generalise the findings to real situations of minority influence where outcomes are more important.

Question 18

What does minority influence usually lead to?

Answer 18

Internalisation.

Question 19

What type of consistency is being described here?
“when the minority keep repeating the same beliefs to the majority over time”

Answer 19

Diachronic synchrony

Question 20

What type of consistency is being described here?
“when all individuals within the minority group are consistent with their beliefs”

Answer 20

Synchronic consistency

Question 21

Why does the minority showing commitment have an influence on the majority?

Answer 21

It makes them pay attention.

Question 22

When the majority group pays more attention to the minority group because of the commitment they have shown what is this known as?

Answer 22

The augmentation principle

Question 23

Dedication, personal sacrifices and extreme activities to draw attention to the minority views are all part of what aspect of minority influence?

Answer 23

Commitment

Question 24

Accepting reasonable counterarguments and adapting their point of view is part of what aspect of minority influence?

Answer 24

Flexibility

Question 25

What is the key term for when the majority start to listen to the minority and this builds momentum with more and more people moving over to the minority viewpoint?

Answer 25

Snowball effect.

Question 26

What were the two conditions in Moscovivi’s research?

Answer 26

Condition 1 - minority group were inconsistent that the blue slides were green
Condition 2 - minority group were consistent that the blue slides were green

Question 27

Define social change (1st mark point only)

Answer 27

Social change refers to a change in attitudes, behaviours or laws. These a large scale changes where societies norms change.

Question 28

Give an example of social change.

Answer 28

The suffragette movement campaign for women’s right to vote.

Question 29

When the minority idea gathers momentum and eventually becomes the majority idea what is this known as?

Answer 29

The snowball effect.

Question 30

What is the key term for when the majority change their beliefs (publically and privately) to be in line with the minority beliefs?

Answer 30

Internalisation.

Question 31

In the role of social influence processes in social change, which social influence part of the process comes after internalisation and before social crypto-amensia?

Answer 31

Snowball effect

Question 32

In the role of social influence processes in social change, which social influence part of the process comes after the snowball effect and before social change?

Answer 32

Social crypto amnesia.

Question 33

What three things START the process of social change?

Answer 33

Consistency, commitment and flexibility.

Question 34

What key term is being described “when the majority remembers the minority idea but forgets that the idea came from the minority group. The two become separated”

Answer 34

Social crypto-amenesia.

Question 35

When social change occurs, what three things change in society?

Answer 35

Attitudes, behaviours and laws.

Question 36

What is meant by social crypto-amnesia?

Answer 36

When the majority remember the minority idea but not that it came from the minority group, the two have become separated.

Question 37

How might NSI be used to bring about social change?

Answer 37

By providing information about what a group are doing, using normative messages.

Question 38

Give an example of a normative message used in a litter campaign.

Answer 38

Bin-it, others do.

Question 39

Why does NSI lead to social change?

Answer 39

People conform to the minority idea to be liked. As the message becomes heard by the majority more and more people conform leading to social change.

Question 40

In Nolan’s et al’s research they hung messages on the front doors of houses in California. One group had a ‘normative message’ telling residents that most residents in the area were trying to reduce their energy use. The control group just had a message about saving energy.

Which condition had a significant decrease in energy use?
Does this research support or contradict NSI and social change?

Answer 40

The normative message condition.
Research to support.

Question 41

Did Foxcroft (2015) find that normative social influence had an effect on alcohol consumption in students? What does this suggest about NSI and social change?

Answer 41

No.
NSI does not always lead to social change.

Question 42

What is the real life evidence to support the role of minority influence in social change?

Answer 42

The suffragette movement.

Question 43

Who provides research to support for the role of minority influence in social change?

Answer 43

Moscovici

Question 44

What did Foxcroft find about the effect of NSI on alcohol consumption in students? What DID NSI affect and what did NSI NOT have an effect on in relation to students drinking?

Answer 44

Did affect quantity (how much students drank)
Did not affect frequency (how often students drank)

Question 45

How do we know social change has happened?

Answer 45

Society’s attitudes, behaviours and laws change.

Question 46

Name all three behaviours that enable a minority to influence a majority.

Answer 46

Consistency
Commitment
Flexibiity