when an individual/small group influences attitudes/behaviour of larger group
define social change?
when society adoptsnewbelief which becomes widelyaccepted as norm
3 factors affecting minority influence?
consistency
commitment
flexibility
explain consistency?
minority expresses samemessage over time & same between members of minority group
message challenges beliefs of majority
do NOT deviate from their views
more able to convince majority to agree with them by drawingattention to minority view
2 types of consistency?
synchronic
diachronic
synchronic consistency?
consistency between members of minority
all members are expressing same message
diachronic consistency?
consistency over time
message is expressed in same way over long period of time
explain commitment?
minority dedicated to belief/opinion
may defend their views at personal cost to themselves - sacrifices
shows others theyre not acting out of self interest so more likely to affect behaviour of majority/convince to agree with them
augmentation principle?
if there are risks involved in putting forward a point of view then those who express those views are taken more seriously, strengthening their position
explain flexibility?
minority adapt thier views & accept other valid counterarguments so theyre not overly rigid in their opinions
more able to affect behaviour of majority as able to demonstrate ability to compromise
if minority group seen as dogmatic/too demanding can be off putting
3 * of factors affecting minority influence?
real world application
evidence to support from nemeth
evidence to support from moscovici
2 X of factors affecting minority influence?
nemeths evidence is contradictory
mocovicis study is gynocentric
* real world application?
suffragette movement in early 20th century showed how small group argued strongly for initially unpopular view that women should be able to vote
showed consistency in message
exposed themself to serious consequences showing commitment
remained flexible during wareffort
over time led to social change where women can now vote
ecological
m.i has had en effect in social change through suffragettemovement
* evidence from nemeth for flexibility?
used mockjury agreeing on compensation for victim of ski lift accident
found that when flexible minority able to persuade majority to compromise & change their view to higherrate of compensation - more effect than inflexible minority
shows how minority can influence majority especially when they are flexible
X nemeth evidence is contradictory?
his research highlights importance of flexibility questions idea of consistency
moscovivi shows minorities need to be consistent whereas nemeth shows they need to be flexible
aritificial nature of study lacks ecological validity
both studies contradict each other
other factors contribute to m.i
consistency & flexibility alone lack explanatory power
holistic explanation is needed
* evidence from moscovici for consistency?
asked women to name colour of 32 blue slides
found when minority were consistent with naming coloured slides as green real p conformed on 8.25% of trials in comparison to 1.25% when minority were inconsistent
results show how minority can influencemajority especially when theyre consistent
X moscovici study is gynocentric?
consisted of 172 female p in groups of 6 where 2 confederates in each group
means p do not represent male p & cannot be generalised to widerpopulation
? population
results cannot explain m.i of males & larger groups of individuals
role of social influence in social change?
minority influence results in socialchange
minority have greatest impact when people believe what theyre saying - conforming due to ISI
if minority remain consistent in message, flexible & committed more & more people start to conform, build up of "converts" aka snowball effect
eventually reaches critical mass where minority has become majority
this is where new social norms are created & people conform to them
once socialchange has become established people often forgetwhy/how change happened in first place aka social crypto amnesia