Social Change

• (AO1) Give the intro - definition

  Social change is when a whole society adopts a new belief, attitude or behaviours.

  
  

  There is a shift in thinking, people as a whole community change their behaviour.

  
  

  There are many processes involved in social change.

  
  

  E.g. normalise recycling through to more serious and fundamental belief changes such as viewing homosexuality as beneficial and a normal part of society.
• (AO1) Give x2 historical examples

  History provided many real-life examples of circumstances of consistent individuals who have challenged/questioned societie's values/norms:

  
  

  1.Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela led civil rights. Consistent in views against apartheid, helped bring about social change.

  
  

  2. Suffragettes consistent in view. Used educational/political arguments to draw attention to female rights. Significant sacrifices made: risking imprisonment and death through hunger strikes. Powerful influence, issue considered, leading to social change - all adults can vote.
• (AO1) Link to minority influence & augmentation principle

  Social change often begins with minority influence, where a consistent, committed and flexible minority challenges the majority.

  
  

  To be influential, a minority needs to conduct selfless actions to grab attention & encourage others to internalise their viewpoint due to the sacrifices made (augmentation principle).
• (AO1) Link the snowball effect & obedience

  Once the minority viewpoint gains attention, it can trigger the snowball effect, with more people paying attention and eventually adopting the position, gaining momentum.

  Over time, the majority internalises the minority's opinion.

  
  

  Obedience to laws also supports social change, as individuals follow new legal norms/behaviours, making one minority view widely accepted & practised.
• Link in N & I SI + Zeitgeist

  Normative & informational social influence contributes to change, with individuals aligning with majority behaviours and attitudes (either to fit in / gain more info).

  
  

  Conformity to the zeitgeist - the "spirit of the time" - can make a minority's position more compelling is it matches with current social climates (e.g. dislike of Jews in Nazi Germany during 1940s).
• (AO3) Discussion

  P: Some minority groups, like British environmental activists may inadvertently reinforce negative stereotypes, which can hinder social change.

  
  

  E: "Just Stop Oil" campaign criticised for using irresponsible protest tactics: resistance, vandalism, & traffic disruption to highlight message.

  
  

  E: These deter ppl from internalising the message, not want to be associated with behaviours. Majority avoid minority - fear of being stereotypically labelled, leading to deeper processing processing focused on the self-image not message itself, creating barrier to SC.
• (AO3) Strength for NSI

  P: Research support for NSI role in influencing social change.

  
  

  E: Nolan et al (2008) conducted month-long study in California, where messages hung on doors in San Diego encouraging residents to reduce energy consumption by highlighting that most neighbours were already doing so. A control group received message about energy usage without reference to others' behaviour.

  
  

  E: Experimental group significantly reduced energy consumption, showing conformity through NSI leads to positive behavioural change, supporting role of SI in promoting sustainable behaviour.
• (AO3) Limitation - Methodological issues

  Point: Methodological issues may undermine links between social influence & social change.

  
  

  Evidence: Studies such as those by Asch, Milgram and Moscovici, which inform explanations for social change, have criticism for low generalisability & demand characteristics.

  
  

  Evaluate: These methodological issues raise doubts about validity of the processes involved in social influence & social change, as the findings may not accurately reflect real-world behaviour.