Minority Influence

• What is minority influence?

  Members of the majority change their beliefs or behaviour as a result exposure to a persuasive minority
• Why can minority influence be seen as more powerful the majority influence?

  Relies upon internalisation, a true change, of beliefs rather than just compliance which more likely with majority influence
• What 3 behaviour styles must the minority do to convince the majority?

  • Consistency
  • Commitment
  • Flexibility
• Minority influence: Consistency


  The message must remain basically the same over time and among the minority group members
• Minority influence: Commitment


  The group members must show dedication to their position - this suggests certainty, confidence and courage in the face of the majority
• Minority influence: Flexibility


  Arguments can't be too rigid which will allow some negotiation with the majority rather than trying the enforce them
• Who provides evidence for consistency in minority influence?

  Moscovici et al
• What were the groups made up of in Moscovici et al's study?

  4 participants and two confederates
• What happened in Moscovici et al's study?


  Shown a set of blue slides in varying intensity and asked to judge the colour of the slides
• What happened in the different conditions in Moscovici et al's study?


  In one condition the confederates repeatedly called the 'blue' slides 'green' In another condition they called the slides 'green' on two thirds of the trials and 'blue' on one third of the trials
• Findings of Moscovici et al's study?


  The consistent minority influenced the participants to say 'green' on over 8% of the trialsThe inconsistent minority had little effect with little difference from the control group
• What did participants have to do in a later task in Moscovici et al's study?


  Had to sort 16 coloured discs into blue and green piles
• What colour were the disks in Moscovici et al's study?


  Three were obviously green, three obviously blue and ten were ambiguous in colour
• Findings of Moscovici et al's disk study?


  • Participants in the consistent condition sorted more of the ambiguous coloured discs into a green pile
  • Suggesting true internalisation of belief about the colour
• Who provides evidence for flexibility in minority influence?


  Nemeth and Brilmayer
• What did Nemeth and Brilmayer do in their study?

  Created a simulated jury situation in which group members discussed the amount of compensation to be paid to someone involved in a ski-lift accident
• What did Nemeth and Brilmayer have confederates do in their study?

  A confederate put forward an alternative point of view and refused to change his position Another confederate who showed some degree of flexibility towards the majority
• What happened in Nemeth and Brilmayer's study when a confederate refused to change his postion?

  No effect on other group members
• What happened in Nemeth and Brilmayer's study when a confederate showed some degree of flexibility towards the majority?


  Could influence the rest of the group
• Strengths of minority influence

  NemethVan Dyne
• Why is "Nemeth" a strength of minority influence?

  Having a dissenting voice 'opens' the mind This motivates people to search for information, consider more options and make better, more creative, decisions
• Why is "Van Dyne" a strength of minority influence?

  Found that work groups improved their decision making qualities when exposed to a minority perspective
• Limitation of minority influence

  It is often difficult to convince people of the value of dissent
• Why is "it is often difficult to convince people of the value of dissent" a limitation of minority influence?

  • People often become irritated by persistent dissenting views, fear that it creates a lack of harmony within a group
  • Tend to marginalise those who don't agree with the majority which may mean opportunities for innovative thinking are lost