Social change

• What is social change?


  The process by which whole societies, and not just individuals, change beliefs, attitudes and behaviours to create new social norms
• What can a minority do to bring social change?

  6 step process
• What processes in obedience can bring social change?

  Gradual commitment, foot in the door technique, legitimacy of authority
• What processes in conformity can lead to social change?

  Normative social influence and social role interventions
• What are the steps of the 6 step process?


  1. Draw attention to issue through social proof

  2. Minority must express their interest consistently

  3. Minority must inspire people to consider their view seriously

  4. Augmentation principle/commitment

  5. Snowball effect

  6. Cryptomnesia
• How can NSI and social role interventions bring social change?

  Making people believe that everyone is/ isn’t doing something so you should follow what they’ve done
• What is gradual commitment?

  Explains obedience in terms of the individual being asked to perform trivial, seemingly harmless tasks. Milgram did this by increasing voltage over time
• What is the foot in the door technique?


  A persuasion tactic in which you get a person to comply with a large request by first asking them to comply with a smaller request
• How can legitimacy of authority bring social change?


  They can introduce rules/ regulations
• What is psychology and the economy?


  The implications of psychological research for the economy are concerned with how the knowledge and understanding gained from psychological research may contribute towards our economy
• What impacts can psychology have on the economy?


  Productivity/ workforce, impacts on the NHS, reforms in education, impact on police
• What does social influence research tell us?


  How our behaviour and attitudes can be changed