Minority influence

Question 1

Moscovici et al procedure

Answer 1

-A group of six people viewed a set of 36 blue-green coloured slides, varying in intensity, then states whether the slides were
blue or green.
-There were three conditions
-Confederates consistently said the slides were green
-Confederates were inconsistent about the color of the
slides
-A control group – no confederates

Question 2

Moscovici findings

Answer 2

-Consistent minority condition = Ppt gave the wrong answer on 8.42% of trials
-Inconsistent minority condition = Agreement fell to 1.25%
-Control group = Participants wrongly identified the colour
0.25% of the time

Question 3

What can we conclude from Moscovici

Answer 3

That consistency in a minority influence is an important factor in getting majority agreement

Question 4

Minority influence is when

Answer 4

-One person or a small group of people (the minority) influences the beliefs and/or behaviors of other people.
-This most often leads to internalization.

Question 5

What is minority influence not

Answer 5

-Conformity, because conformity can only be an influence from the majority

Question 6

What are the three processes within minority influence

Answer 6

Consistency, commitment and flexibility

Question 7

Consistency

Answer 7

-Helps gain interest in the views of the minority by making them rethink their on views

Question 8

What are the two types of consistency

Answer 8

Synchronic consistency - people within the minority all saying the same thing
Diachronic consistency - The minority have been saying this for a while

Question 9

Commitment

Answer 9

-Helps the minority gain attention via the use of extreme activities which must create some kind of risk
-This causes the majority to pay even more attention because your potentially risking our life for your view
-eg. the suffragette jumping Infront of the horse
-This is known as the augmentation principle

Question 10

Flexibility

Answer 10

The minority should make an effort to balance consistency and flexibility as not to appear too rigid
-Nemeth argues that repeating and consistent behaviors can often come across as off puting
-The minority should be able to adapt its views and accept reasonable counterpoints

Question 11

Snowball effect

Answer 11

Once the minority becomes the majority, the rate of conversion quickens and social change occurs

Question 12

Social cryptomesia

Answer 12

Failure to remember the point of social change

Question 13

Gender bias

Answer 13

-Moscovici’s research was gynocentric
-All the participants were female only
-Not generalisabe

Question 14

Methodological issues

Answer 14

-Artificial tasks
-Doesn’t represent the other issues that minorities face when committing to a cause
-For examples, gay rights harassment and abuse

Question 15

Limited real world application

Answer 15

-Model complicated in real life then just the number of supporters
-Majority holds more control
-Minorities committed due to hostile opposition
-Can’t be applied to real world fights and parades for individual beliefs

Question 16

Effect of minority may not be apparent due to conformity

Answer 16

-Ppt reluctant to admit their ‘conversion’ publicly
-Moscivici found higher agreement to minority when participants write responses
-Shows internalization