Strengths

• S1-Research support for the role of social influence processes in social change.
• Nolan et al(2008) hung messages on people's front doors every week for a month stating that most residents were trying to reduce their energy consumption. Nolan found a decrease in the amount of energy people used, purely because they thought their neighbours were doing the same. This was in comparison to the control group who were told that others were reducing their consumption.
• This suggests that the research can bring about social change in a positive way, with measurable results and shows that conformity via NSI is a valid explanation for social change.

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• P: Real-life application.
• Drink driving campaign in the US created to tackle the large number of drink-driving related accidents in young adults.
• A questionnaire found that 20% of young adults in USA had driven after drinking alcohol.

  When asked if they thought OTHER adults drink and drive, over 90% believed that other people in their age group had driven after drinking. To address this, the ad campaign put across the message on posters that said "MOST young adults do not drink and drive".

  When they repeated the questionnaire, they found a DROP in drink driving to less than 14%.
• S: This suggests that the research can bring about social change in a positive way, with measurable results. (Why is the this a major strength?)

  This further supports how conformity through NSI is a valid explanation for social change.