Social - Research Methods, Minority Influence & Social Change

Question 1

What did Moscovici state?

Answer 1

The most important aspect of behavioural style is consistency

Question 2

What was Moscovici’s experiment?

Answer 2

Blue-green studies, found out that a consistent minority was more successful than an inconsistent minority in changing the views of the majority

Question 3

Why is Consistency important?

Answer 3

If majority are confronted by consistent minority will take notice and re think their position
Consistency means that the minority views would be seen as right as they are committed
Consistency within minority disrupts social norms - creating uncertainty - majority question their views

Question 4

What is the conversion theory?

Answer 4

If an individual is exposed to an argument that is opposite to their attitudes = conflict
This theory says that the person is then motivated to reduce the conflict - examining the minority and try to understand why they had a conflicting view.
This is more likely to result in internalisation unlike if this happened with the majority.u

Question 5

What is the role of conflict?

Answer 5

We sometimes cannot ignore a conflict so we start to try to understand it - not necessarily resulting in a change in attitude but we do begin to think more deeply about different views

Question 6

What is the augmentation principle?

Answer 6

If risks are involved when putting a view forward then people are more likely to take these views more seriously as people have put themselves on the line

Question 7

What is an example of the augmentation principle?

Answer 7

Poland only a few started the revolution but in the end majority were involved and

Nemeth - mock jury and confederate would say different answer to amount of compensation someone deserves, they would keep constant = no change then move their amount closer too everyone else’s and the majority when with the minorities decision

Question 8

Define Social Change?

Answer 8

When society adopts a new belief or way of behaving which finally becomes widely accepted as the norm

Question 9

Example of social change?

Answer 9

Is men only having the right to vote then it changed to women having the vote as well

Question 10

Explain the key ideas minority influence?

Answer 10

Consistency - staying with their personal views/attitudes
Flexibility - minority less likely to change views
Augmentation - minority taking risks meaning that the majority are influenced
Conversion/conflict - majority wont change views but will think about their views
Snowball affect - minority gets more and more support and becomes the majority
Social-crypto amnesia - minority ideas become part of the majority - don’t know where from