Minority influence

• AO1 minority influence

  Refers to when the minority influences beliefs and behaviours of other people. Most likely to lead to internalisation. Involves 3 main processes: Consistency, commitment and flexibility.
• AO1 Consistency

  Must be consistent with their views, increasing interest form other people. Synchronic consistency - the agreement between the people within the minority. Diachronic consistency - saying the same thing over time. This makes people rethink their own views.
• AO1 Commitment

  Engaging in extreme activities draws attention to the minority, as it shows greater commitment to their cause. This results in paying even more attention to minority (augmentation principle).
• AO1 Flexibility

  Extreme consistency can be off-putting, seen as rigid. Need to be able to adapt their views and accept reasonable and valid counterarguments. A balance between flexibility and consistency.
• AO1 explaining the process of change

  All 3 work together to trigger deeper thinking. Over time more people from the majority take the viewpoint of the minority. Rate of conversion increases (snowball effect). Gradually, the minority view has now become the majority.
• AO3 research support for consistency

  wood et al did a meta-analysis of 100 studies and found minorities that were consistent were most influential. Suggests consistency is the bare minimum for a successful minority influence. Provides validity in the idea that consistency increases likelihood of social change.
• AO3 Artificial tasks

  Often just as artificial as Asch's line task. For example moscovici et al's investigation used colours. The task is far removed from hoe minorities change beliefs in real life. For example, jury duty and politics, the minority is much more important (life or death). Reduces the external validity of research into showing minority influence, limited in how it occurs in real world situations.