the role of social influence in social change

Question 1

what is social change?

Answer 1

-altering behaviour patterns and attitudes within a cultural grouping
-minority influence gradually becoming majority

Question 2

what is majority influences main role?

Answer 2

to maintain social order
an immediate unthinking process, so can be broken down through minority influence which changes people’s attitudes over time

Question 3

what is a ‘moment of critical mass’?

Answer 3

-during the process of social change, when the minority viewpoint becomes mainstream and the majority begin to conform through compliance

Question 4

how does social change not disrupt social order?

Answer 4

-it’s a gradual process of social cryptoamnesia
-the slow process allows for new ideas to be ‘road-tested’ (check their suitability for mainstream society)

Question 5

how do people that resist conformity become agents of social change?

Answer 5

-they model attitudes and behaviours necessary for social change

Question 6

whats a very common example of social change?

Answer 6

-greenpeace
-started as a small group that was ridiculed , has now become a very large activist group

Question 7

what is the research conducted by martin, hewstone and martin?

Answer 7

-2003
-48 british uni students split into 2
-first group had the pro-attitudinal message, giving 6 arguments against voluntary euthanasia
-second group had the counter-attitudinal message, 6 arguments for voluntary euthanasia
-minority influence creates systematic processing of its message