Social influence - Processes of social change

Question 1

What is social change?

Answer 1

When a whole society adopts a new belief or behaviour which then becomes widely accepted as the norm

Question 2

What are the 3 theories used to explain social change?

Answer 2

Minority influence, obedience and conformity

Question 3

What is the acronym to help remember process of how minority groups lead to social change?

Answer 3

Don’t climb down a steep slope

D - draw attention
C - consistency
D - deep processing
A - augmentation principle
S - snowball effect
S - social crypto amnesia

Question 4

What is meant by ‘draw attention’?

Answer 4

Shining a spotlight on the cause by having a different point of view and reducing the attention from the majority viewpoint

Question 5

What is meant by ‘consistency’?

Answer 5

Keeping the view the same all the way through the campaign; regardless of attitudes towards the minority

Question 6

What is meant by ‘deeper processing’?

Answer 6

Minority creating a conflict in what the majority currently believes so people think more about the minority’s stance and question their own

Question 7

What is meant by the ‘augmentation principle’?

Answer 7

If the minority appear to suffer for their views, they will be seen as more committed and taken more seriously

Question 8

What is meant by the ‘snowball effect’?

Answer 8

Like-minded individuals come together to form a minority, they influence others and gain more members, gradually becoming the majority

Question 9

What is meant by ‘social crypto amnesia’?

Answer 9

Minority ideas are assimilated into the majority viewpoint without those in the majority remembering where it came from. Refers to the experience of an idea being new whereas it is in fact a memory