Minority Influence Flashcards
(8 cards)
Define minority influence.
A form of social influence in which a small group of people who have a different opinion to the majority manage to persuade others to agree with them. For example the suffragettes and the women’s right to vote.
Explain Moscovicis procedure in his research into factors that affect minority influence.
In a group of 6 females, 2 were confederates. They had to identify colour of 36 blue slides that varied in intensity. In one condition the confederates (minority) consistently said slides were green, and in a second inconsistent condition they said they were green on two thirds of the trials and blue on the remaining third.
Explain the findings and conclusions of Moscovicis research.
Consistent condition - genuine pps agreed slides were green on 8% of trials. 32% said green at least once.
Inconsistent conditions - genuine pps agreed slides were green on 1% of trials, hardly more than control.
For minority influence to be successful they must be consistent in what they’re saying.
Define consistency as a factor affecting minority influence.
Members of a minority group must always be synchronised with each other and continue to have the same opinion over time. Consistency helps puncture certainty in majority, who then think the minority have a point worth considering.
Define commitment as a factor affecting minority influence.
Sticking unswervingly to their opinions and sometimes putting themselves at risks to demonstrate their level of commitment. This shows confidence and courage.
Define flexibility as a factor influencing minority influence.
There should be some flexibility as they have to negotiate to get majority to agree. This means a balance between consistency and flexibility in their views is needed in order to be influential, so others can take them seriously and not regard them as fanatical.
Give 3 strengths of the idea of factors influencing minority influence.
SE for consistency - 8% conformity in consistent condition but barely any (1%) in inconsistent.
SE for flexibility - mock jury set up. Confederate who disagreed about amount of compensation paid who refused to shit opinion had no affect on majority but one who had a different opinion but was prepared to shift towards majority influenced others to agree.
SE that MI involved internalisation - in a variation of Moscovicis pps wrote down their answers to the blue slide task. In this condition agreement that slides were green was greater showing that minority opinion was privately accepted showing internalisation
Give one criticism of factors affecting MI.
Research is artificial and staged - agreeing with colours of slides doesn’t reflect real life and means we are less confident in the roles affecting MI.
