Social influence: Processes in social change Flashcards
What is social change?
Occurs when whole societies, rather than just individuals, adopt new attitudes and beliefs e.g. accepting that the Earth orbits the sun, Women’s suffrage, gay rights and environmental issues
What are 5 ways minority influence creates a social change?
- Drawing attention to an issue.
- Cognitive conflict.
- Consistency of position.
- The argumentation principle.
- The snowball effect.
What is drawing attention to an issue?
The minority must draw attention to the issue through social proof. If we are exposed to the views of a minority then this draws our attention to the issue. If the views differ, then this causes conflict (that is then motivated to reduce). e.g holding marches and posters
What is cognitive conflict?
Minority must inspire people to seriously consider their views. Creates conflict between what majority believe and minorities position. Majority group members then think more deeply about the issues.
What is consistency of position?
The minority must express their views consistently. Minorities are more influential if they are consistent. Arguments expressed consistently with each other and over time. Therefore, are taken more seriously.
What is the argumentation principle?
The minority must be willing to suffer for their cause. If there are risks involved for the minority, they are taken more seriously. Abuse, media attention, imprisonment or even death.
What is the snowball effect?
The minority must spread their message widely, to as many people as they can. Minority starts with a small impact but then eventually spreads as more and more people consider their position. Then reaches a ‘tipping point’ which leads to wide-scale social change.
What is social cryptoamnesia?
People having a memory that change has occurred but don’t remember how it happened.
What are social norms intervention?
Attempt to correct misperceptions of the normative behaviour of peers in an attempt to change the risky behaviour of a target population.
A03: Social change
+ Research support
+ Minority influence supports social change
- Social change is very gradual
- Being perceived as deviant limits the influence of minorities
A03: Research support
Research support: Rosa Parks, the act of choosing not to stand up on a segregated bus, as a minority, led to a rise in the number of people supporting the civil rights movement. This shows how a minority can influence the opinion of the majority, as her actions helped to change the views of many Americans.
A03: Minority influence supports social change
Minority influence supports social change - Nemeth claimed the social change was due to engagement with minority views. The wider society critically evaluates minority viewpoints which leads to better decision-making. This shows dissenting minorities as important.
A03: Social change is very gradual
The role played by minority influence may be limited since minorities such as the suffragettes didn’t bring about social change quickly. Because there is a strong tendency for human beings to conform to the majority position, people are more likely to maintain their status rather than engage in social change. They suggest that the influence of minorities is frequently more latent than direct.
A03: Being perceived as deviant limits the influence of minorities
The potential for minorities to influence social changes is often limited because they are seen as deviant in the eyes of the majority. Members of the majority may avoid aligning themselves with the minority position because they don’t want to be seen as deviant. The message of the minority within have very little impact because the focus of the majority’s attention would be the source of the message rather than the message itself. In trying to bring about social change, therefore, minorities face a double challenge of avoiding being portrayed as deviant and also making people directly embrace their position.
