social change

Question 1

outline the steps of social change though minority influence

Answer 1

● drawing attention: providing social proof of problem / issue e.g., through protests

● cognitive conflict: majority thinks deeply about the issue raised

● consistency: diachronic and synchronic

● augmentation principle: risks (abuse, negative media attention, imprisonment)

● snowball effect: people will switch from agreeing with the majority to agreeing with the minority

Question 2

outline how to suffragettes achieved social change

Answer 2

● drawing attention: peaceful protests at first then became more violent

● cognitive conflict: majority may begin to believe women deserve to vote / or why can’t women vote?

● consistency: diachronic (fighting until 1918) and synchronic (all women wanted equal rights to men)

● augmentation principle: risks (hunger strikes, people sacrificing themselves for their cause)

● snowball effect: women granted the right to vote in 1918 - allowed women to vote over the age of 30, women in parliament

Question 3

define social change (2)

Answer 3

● when whole societies, not just individuals, adopt new attitudes beliefs and behaviour

● examples are accepting the earth is round and not flat and women’s suffragette movement