Social change

• What is social change ?

  the process by which society changes beliefs, attitudes and behaviour to create new social norms

  Minority is the main driving force

  The minority wins over the majority until new social norms are established
• what are positive examples of social change ?

  Women’s rights

  LGBTQ + rights

  Radical equality

  Climate change acceptance

  Transgender rights
• what are negative examples of social change ?

  anti-semitism

  eugenic ideas

  anti-vaxxers

  anti-immigration /anti EU
• how does majority influence work against minority influence?

  maintain social order

  lets society know what attitudes are expected of them

  immediate, unthinking process
• how does minority influence work against majority influence?

  breaks majority influence down

  affects peoples thought processes and belief systems

  strong long lasting internalisation

  new ideas take place in the mainstream through conversation
• why does social change need to be slow and gradual ?

  to avoid conflict and harm short term
• what does social change allow ?

  ‘road testing‘ ideas
• what does conformity consolidate?

  new ideas
• what does obedience maintain ?

  social order
• Who conducted the research on resistance to persuasive messages?

  Martin Hewstone & Martin
• What was the main aim of the study?

  To see if group influence affects opinion resistance
• How many participants were involved in the study?

  48 British university students
• What initial attitude did participants have regarding voluntary euthanasia?

  Supportive of voluntary euthanasia
• What type of messages did participants receive during the study?

  Pro-attitudinal and counter-attitudinal messages
• What did the pro-attitudinal message argue against?

  Voluntary euthanasia
• What was the outcome of the study regarding minority support?

  Minority support led to more resistant attitudes
• How did minority influence affect systematic processing?

  It led to consideration of minority viewpoints
• What does the study support about minority influence?

  It can lead to social change
• What are the key findings of the study on minority influence?

  • Minority support leads to more resistant attitudes.
  • Systematic processing occurs with minority viewpoints.
  • Minority influence can cause social change.
• What are the implications of the study's findings?

  • Supports Moscovici’s theory on minority processing.
  • Suggests minorities have greater influence than previously thought.
  • Indicates different processes for majorities and minorities.