Minority influence

• The two types of consistency is Diachronic consistency and synchronic consistency
• Diachronic consistency is consistency over time
• Synchronic consistency is the consistency and support between the members
• What is commitment in terms of minority influence

  • When majority is confronted with someone with confidence and dedication that refuses to stand down
  • people more likely to take them seriously
• What is flexibility in terms of minority influence?

  • If minority is able to compromise and be flexible there's a higher chance of influencing the majority
• What was Nemeth's study into flexibility?

  • Mock jury to see how much compensation someone should get for a ski lift accident
  • When consistent minority were not flexible they had little effect
  • When flexible minority compromised, majority also compromised and changed their view
• Social change is when a whole society adopts a new belief/behaviour which becomes the norm.

  • Usually a result of minority influence
• The two explanations for social change are snowballing and crypto-amnesia
• Define snowballing as an explanation for social change

  • Once minority begin to persuade people, more and more people adopt the belief until the minority becomes the majority
  • Those with old belief usually conform due to group pressure
• Define crypto-amnesia as an explanation for social change

  • Opinion so widely accepted because majority opinion has become law that people obey, people do not remember where it originated from