Minority Influence

Question 1

Moscovicis study

Answer 1

Lab experiment
Ppts put in groups w 2 confederates and 4 ppts
Shown 36 blue or green slides
Asked to say if blue or green
Confederate deliberately said green for 2 thirds of trials producing consistent minority
Num of times ppts said green counted
Also had control group

Question 2

Findings

Answer 2

Confederate consistent in answers and 8% of ppts said slides green
When confederates answered inconsistently 1% said slides were green
Shows consistency crucial for max influence on majority

Question 3

Consistency

Answer 3

Majority more likely to be influenced when a minority is more consistent
Makes views seem more serious enough to pay attention to as determined enough to stay consistent
All members share same view so ppl think something worth agreeing over
Remaining consistent makes others rethink their own views

Question 4

Commitment

Answer 4

Majority more likely to be influenced when minority is committed because minority have so much passion and co fidence. Suggests they must be valid and encourages them to explore and be influenced

Question 5

Flexibility

Answer 5

Majority more influenced when minority is flexible as being too inconsistent and not compromising makes their argument less appealing to majority. If will to compromise not seen as extremists so seen as reasonable and more cooperative

Question 6

AO3

Answer 6

+ emphasis on all 3 have real life application becuz can inform minority groups the best way to behave in order to exert a max amount of influence. But consider majority is larger and so hold more connections and power so may not be enough alone.

• key issue w study is reliance on artificial tasks so lacks mundane realise as do not reflect real life scenarios and how minority would act irl. So lack ecological validity because generalisability is limited.