Minority Influence & Social change

Question 1

Minority influence

Answer 1

Refers to the type of social influence where individuals reject established majority group norms.

Achieved through the process of conversion

Question 2

Conversion

Answer 2

The process where the majority gradually adopt a new minority view point or behaviour. This new belief or behaviour becomes accepted both publicly and privately

Types of Internalisation.
Happens through ISI

Question 3

What are the following factors involved in minority influence?

Answer 3

Consistency
Commitment
Flexibility

Question 4

Consistency

Answer 4

A minority must be consistent in its position. Not only must individuals in the minority maintain their belief and attitude over time, but there must be consistency between members or a minority group. This will give the majority a signal that the minority is committed to its position

eg Wood et al (1994)

Question 5

Commitment

Answer 5

The important process as it suggest CERTAINTY, CONFIDENCE and COURAGE in the face of a hostile majority.

Question 6

Augmentation principle

Answer 6

Greater commitment may then persuade majority group members to convert to the minority position.

Question 7

Flexibility

Answer 7

As minorities are typically powerless compared to the majority, they must negotiate their position with the majority rather than try to enforce it.

Mugny (1982)

Question 8

Snowball Effect

Answer 8

Overtime, increasing numbers of people switch to minority position. The more this happens, the faster the rate of conversion. Gradually the minority view become the majority

Question 9

Maas et al. (1982)

Identification

Answer 9

Found that a homosexual minority arguing for homosexual rights were less persuasive at changing the majority heterosexual position than a heterosexual minority.

Question 10

Moscovici et al. (1969)

Answer 10

observed consistent and inconsistent behavioural styles on minority influence in a colour study.

Question 11

Moscovici et al. (1969) - Procedure

Answer 11

• Laboratory experiment.
• 192 female participants.
• The women were split into groups of six with two confederates per group. There was one control group with no confederates.
• Groups were asked to identify the colour of 36 slides. All were different shades of blue.
• The consistent confederates identified all 36 slides as green.
• The inconsistent confederates identified 12 slides as blue and the other 24 as green.

Question 12

Moscovici et al. (1969) - Findings

Answer 12

Groups with consistent confederates - 32% of natural participants identified at least one slide as green. Around 8% of the time, participants identified slides as green.
Groups with inconsistent confederates - around 1% of the time, participants identified slides as green.
Control group - around 0.25% of the time, participants identified slides as green.

Question 13

Moscovici et al. (1969) - Conclusion

Answer 13

Minority groups had more influence when they behaved consistently rather than inconsistently.

Question 14

Control group

Answer 14

A group that is treated normally and gives us a measure of how people behave when they are not exposed to the experimental treatment (e.g. allowed to sleep normally).

Question 15

Moscovici et al. (1969) - Analysis

Pros

Answer 15

Pros:

Control group result - proves that the minority groups had influence.

Question 16

Moscovici et al. (1969) - Analysis

Cons

Answer 16

Cons:
Low ecological validity (cannot be generalised well) - because participants were in an artificial situation.
Low generalisability - female participants only.

Question 17

What are the two types of consistency

Answer 17

• Diachronic consistency

• Synchronic consistency

Question 18

What does Moscovici’s study demonstrate?

Answer 18

he role of consistency in minority influence. The majority is more likely to be influenced by the minority when the minority is consistent in their views.

Question 19

Diachronic consistency

Answer 19

When the group remains consistent over time – they do not change their views over time.

Question 20

Synchronic consistency

Answer 20

When the group is consistent between all the members of the group – everyone in the group has the same views, and therefore agree with and support each oth

Question 21

Martin et al (2003)

Answer 21

Demonstrated that there is a greater degree of internalisation of a minority view, compared to a majority view.

Question 22

The Four main factors have been identified as important for a minority to have an influence over a majority:

Answer 22

behavioral style, style of thinking, flexibility, and identification.

Question 23

(1) behavioral Style

Answer 23

1. Consistency: The minority must be consistent in their opinion
2. Confidence in the correctness of ideas and views they are presenting
3. Appearing to be unbiased
4. Resisting social pressure and abuse