Minority influence

• Define minority influence.


  Minority influence refers to when one person or a small group of people challenge the beliefs/behaviour of the majority. Thev do this in an attempt to bring about social change.
• Identify the 3 behaviours an effective minority show.


  Commitment, consistency and flexibility.
• Outline research into minority influence.


  Research has shown that for minorities to be effective, they must show commitment i.e. demonstrate their dedication to their belief by placing themselves at some sort of risk (e.g. risk of being arrested) or inconvenience (e.g. by dedicating their own time/money on their campaign).

  This is important as acts of commitment draw attention to the minority’s cause and suggests they are confident in their belief and are not acting out of self-interest.
• Outline research into minority influence.


  Research has also shown that for minorities to be effective, they must show consistency i.e. they must repeat the same message and highlight that they have held this belief over a long period of time (e.g. by holding regular protests).

  This is important as when a minority initially forms, the majority tend to assume they are wrong. However, if they remain consistent and do not deviate from their view, members of the majority may listen more carefully and reconsider their view.
• Outline research into minority influence.


  Research has shown that for minorities to be effective, they must show flexibility i.e. they must listen to the majority, accept valid counterarguments, and come to an agreement.

  This is important because being extremely consistent can be seen as being too rigid which may put the majority off listening. However, they cannot be too flexible and drastically switch their views as this would be considered too inconsistent. Instead, the key is to strike a balance between by making a compromise.
• Evaluate research into minority influence: supporting evidence. 


  The research involved creating groups of three participants and one confederate who had to work together to decide how much compensation to pay to a victim of a ski-lift accident. When the confederates argued for a low amount and refused to change their position (i.e. not showing flexibility), they had no effect on the majority. When they compromised and moved to offering a slightly higher amount, the majority changed their opinion. This is a strength because it shows how minorities need to be flexible to be persuasive.
• Evaluate research into minority influence: received supporting evidence 


  Participants were asked to state the colour of the slides. The confederates answered first, and all the slides were blue. The consistent condition where the two confederates called the slides green on all trials; and the inconsistent condition where the confederates identified some of the slides as blue but some as green. Participants conformed more to the confederates’ answers when they were consistent. This is a strength because it shows that a consistent minority Is more effective.
• Evaluate research into minority influence: typically used artificial tasks. 


  Studies involved hypothetical dilemmas (e.g. Ski lift accident) or artificial tasks/environments (e.g. judging the colour of slides in a lab study). This is a limitation because it means it may not accurately reflect how minorities change the beliefs/behaviour of majorities in real life. In cases such as jury decision making, for example, the outcomes are much more important, and so a minority may not be as influential despite showing consistency, flexibility etc.
• Evaluate research into minority influence: demonstrated in real life cases.


  Rosa Parks demonstrated commitment by refusing to give up her seat to a white passenger, thereby placing herself at risk of being arrested. This is a strength because Rosa Parks' demonstration of commitment played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement to end racial segregation laws In America, thus showing the important role that commitment can play.
• Evaluate research into minority influence: other factors can influence the effectiveness of a minority.


  This is because when a member of the majority identifies with the minority, the minority will be more persuasive. Research has found that a homosexual minority arguing for homosexual rights were less persuasive in changing heterosexual peoples' opinions than a heterosexual minority arguing for homosexual rights. This is a limitation because it means a consistent, committed and/or flexible minority may still have little influence on the majority if they do not identify with them.