Social change

Question 1

when does social change occur

Answer 1

when a society as a whole,adopts a new beleif or a way of behaving which then becomes qidley accepted as the ‘norm’

Question 2

how would minority groups bring social change?

Answer 2

bring social change by being persuiasivr in their arguments, being organsied in their ability to educate others about the value of it

Question 3

explain initation of social change

Answer 3

• minority influence
• one individual/ small group draws attention to issue and raises awarness by consistently protesting to challenge status
• make a sacrifce to show commitment by taking risks, there message is more powerful
• snowball effect occurs as the message spreads and more people join the minority to become majority

Question 4

explain maintaining social change

Answer 4

• majority influence
• new behaviour/ opinion becomes social norm
• people now feel group pressure to conform through normative influence (fear disproval)

Question 5

how is social change finalised

Answer 5

• through odedience
• laws are eventually passed to enforce the new behaviour, that everyone is legally obliged to obey to
• sociocyrpto amnesia occurs where people dont remeber where the new belief and opinion orginated from

Question 6

example of social change

Answer 6

• suffragete movement
• civil partnerships/ same sex rights

Question 7

stregnth: supporting

Answer 7

I: supporting evidence for social change being maintained through majorty influence
E: Nolan et al investigated whether energy consumption could be reduced in san diego.
* in one condition ppts had messages hung on their doors says others were reducing energy usage
* control group were just asked to save energy
* significant decrease in energy consumption from the residents who had messages about others reducing usage
C: shows that minority influence intervention is a major in creating social change. if individuals percieve other’s behaviour as the ‘norm’ they too will change their behaviour due to normative influences

Question 8

weakness: delayed

Answer 8

I: social change initated through minroty influence is indirect and delayed
E: social change is a slow process when minorty groups are encouraging the change
* nemeth said becuase are only inderictly effective they are often pereiceved as deviant and have very little impact on a majority group initially
C: minorty influences effects on social change are limited and its use in public advertising campains ( stop smoking) may not be an appropriate stragety when urgent social change is needed quickly