The Role of Social Influence Processes in Social Change

Question 1

What is social change?

Answer 1

involves the way in which society develops, through big shifts in people’s beliefs, attitudes and behaviour

Question 2

Who is usually the main driving force for social change?

Answer 2

minority influence

the process occurs continually, but at a gradual pace

Question 3

What is a positive example of social change?

Answer 3

the increased rights for women

Question 4

What is a negative example of social change?

Answer 4

the adoption by society of eugenic beliefs, which saw people of different races as genetically inferior, leading to mass extermination of a whole group of people such as performed by the Nazis

Question 5

What is majority influence’s role in society?

Answer 5

to help maintain social order and to keep things the way they are

can be seen as a ‘police officer’ overseeing society

Question 6

How does social change happen?

Answer 6

minority influence changes attitudes and behaviour over time, incurring a strong, long-lasting form of conformity.

This occurs by individuals directing their thinking of understanding why the minority hold a particular viewpoint and conversion to minority viewpoint then takes place

Question 7

What is critical mass?

Answer 7

where the minority viewpoint become the mainstream and the majority will begin to conform to this new viewpoint through compliance

however this is sometimes can only a public, not private form of majority influence

Question 8

Why is it a good thing that the process of social change is slow?

Answer 8

allows for new ideas to be ‘toe-tested’, to check their suitability for mainstream society

so it is not too disruptive to social order and not cause conflict with society