Social Influence- Minority Influence & Social Change Flashcards
Define the term minority influence
-A form of social influence by members of the maturity group change their beliefs or behaviours because of the minority influencing their decision
-this usually leads to internation
-The minority must be consistent, show commitment and be flexible in their behaviour
What does diachronic synchrony mean?
When the minority keeps the same beliefs over time
What does synchronic consistency mean?
The minority keeps the same beliefs between all individuals
Describe consistency as a type of minority influence
-If the minority keep repeating the same beliefs to the majority overtime -and between all individuals that form the minority
-then the majority will reassessed the situation and consider the minority idea more carefully
How can consistency be shown?
All people in the minority repeat the same message/behaviour over time
Describe commitment as a process in minority influence
-This suggest a minority will show dedication and make personal sacrifice and facing a majority.
-Some minorities engage in quite extreme activities to draw attention to their views.
-If these activities present some risk of the minority that shows greater commitment majority groups made them pay even more attention this is known as the augmentation principle.
How can commitment be shown?
-The minority must make personal sacrifices/effort such as volunteering time or willing to accept ridicule or criticism (suffragettes)
-The minority could conduct research and educate the majority such as advertising campaigns or giving assemblies
Describe flexibility as a process in minority influence
-While consistency is important showing too much can be seen as dogmatic and rigid and may stop the majority moving over to the minority view
-Members of the minority need to be prepared to adapt the point of view and accept reasonable counter arguments
-They must strike a balance between consistency and flexibility
How can flexibility be shown?
The minority need to listen to the views of the major majority and not make the changes all at once e.g. bring the change in a small changes or taking on some of the view/opinions of the major majority
Give the key points for evaluating minority influence
-RTS-Moscovici, stating the colours of the slide
-moscovicis study lacks mundane realism
-RTS-Nemeth and Brilmayer, ski accident, mock jury showed flexibility
Describe Moscovici Et Al’s research
-two confederate sat with a major majority group of six participants
-They were shown blue slides that differed in intensity and had to state the colour
-when they consistently called the blue slides green, ppts gave the same wrong answer 8% of the time
-when they inconsistently called the blue slides green, this dropped to 1%
What is the drawback of Moscovivi Et Al’s research?
Lacks mundane realism
Describe Nemeth and Brilmayer’s research
-they created a mock jury situation to decide on the amount of compensation to be paid to someone in a ski lift accident
-When a confederate put forward an alternative point of view and refused to change it, it had no effect on the other group members
-However, a confederate who compromised had an influence on the rest of the group
-as he was flexible in his opinion, he was able to change the majority opinion
When has social change occurred?
When societies attitudes, behaviours or laws have changed
Describe the process of social change
- Minority influence.
- Consistency commitment and flexibility.
- Majority.
- Internalisation.
- Snowball effect.
- Social crypto amnesia.
- social change.
