Minority Influence

Question 1

Behavioural characteristics for my minority influence:

Answer 1

Consistency:
How committed a minority is to their position is over time , maintaining their beliefs.

Confidence:
More confident in beliefs - more attention and respect.

Persuasiveness:
More persuasive - more likely to attract others.

Question 2

Research support for behavioural explanations:

Answer 2

Hogg and Vaughn (1998)
Commitment: Act out of principle, not self-interest.
Sacrifice: Show dedication through sacrifices.
Similarity: Be relatable to the majority (class, age, gender).
Relevance: Align views with current societal values.

Moscovici (1985)
Consistency: Stay firm in views.
Flexibility: Willing to listen and adapt.
Moderate Language: Use reasonable, moderate tone.

Question 3

Name a minority influence study and give eval:

Answer 3

Moscovici et al. (1969) - Minority Influence Study

Procedure: 6 participants, 2 confederates. Shown slides of different shades of blue and green.

Finding: Confederates consistently gave wrong answers. 1/3 of participants conformed to the minority at least once.

Issues: Lacked mundane realism, small sample size, hard to generalize.

Question 4

Extra eval for minority influence

Answer 4

Minority Influence - Evaluation

Artificial Settings: Research often done in labs, limiting real-world application.

Social Status: Most minorities have lower status, reducing likelihood of success based on consistency and flexibility alone.

Real-Life Success: Minority influence often succeeds through large-scale actions (e.g., BLM protests).

Question 6

Effect of group membership on minority influence

Answer 6

Mass et al. - Group Membership

Finding: Heterosexual men were more effective at changing the opinions of a heterosexual majority on the importance of gay rights compared to a homosexual minority.

Question 7

Process of social change and example

Answer 7

Example: African-American Civil Rights Movement (1950s-60s)

Attention:
Civil rights marches highlighted segregation issues, providing social proof of the problem.

Consistency:
Numerous protests with consistent messages strengthened the movement’s impact.

Processing:
The public began questioning the status quo, recognizing the injustices of segregation.

Augmentation Principle:
Protesters risked their lives, increasing the visibility and urgency of the social issue.

Snowball Effect:
The minority (activists) gained momentum, attracting new members and pushing for significant changes, such as the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Social Cryptomnesia:
After change, people often forget the role of minorities in achieving social progress, denying their contributions.