Social Influence Process In Social Change AO3

• P - Weakness - Social change through minority influence may be very gradual

  E - For example, history challenges the view that minorities such as the

  suffragettes can bring about social change quickly.

  E - This matters because – humans tend to conform to the majority position, so

  then groups are more likely to maintain the status quo (not let women have

  the right to vote). Influence of a minority creates the potential for change

  rather than actual social change).

  L - Therefore, social change through minority influence may be very gradual or

  not happen at all in some cases.
• P -A weakness is that being perceived as ‘deviant’ limits the influence of

  minorities

  E - For example, the potential for minorities to influence social change is often

  limited because they are seen as ‘deviant’ in the eyes of the majority.

  E - This matters because - members of the majority avoid siding with the

  minority position – don’t want to be seen as deviant. So message of the

  minority would then have very little impact

  L - Therefore, the majority may not want to change their opinions so social

  change may not occur.
• What is a weakness of social norm interventions?

  They do not always make people engage in the behavior being advocated.
• What did Schultz et al. (2007) find regarding social norms campaigns?

  They found evidence of the 'boomerang effect' where heavy energy users reduced usage, but those using less than the norm increased their usage.
• Why is the 'boomerang effect' significant in the context of social norm interventions?

  It shows that while targeting undesirable behaviors, the message can inadvertently encourage desirable behaviors to worsen.
• What are the implications of social norm interventions based on Schultz et al. (2007)?

  • Target individuals with less desirable behaviors
  • Widespread approach can affect those with desirable behaviors
  • Potential for unintended consequences, such as increased usage among low users
• What is the overall conclusion about social norm interventions based on the study material?

  They can have the opposite effect on some individuals by encouraging undesirable behavior.