Minority influence

• Minority Influence - is a form of social influence where members of the majority group change their beliefs or behaviours because of the minority influencing their decision, this usually leads to internalisation. The minority must be consistent, show commitment and be flexible in their behaviour.
• Consistency - If the minority keep repeating the same beliefs to the majority, both over time (diachronic synchrony) and between all individuals that form the minority (synchronic consistency), the majority then reassess the situation and consider the idea more carefully.
• Commitment - This suggests the minority must show dedication and make personal sacrifices when facing a majority. Some minorities engage in quite extreme activities to draw attention to their views. If these activities present some risk to the minority, this shows greater commitment. Majority groups pay attention - Augmentation principle
• Flexibility - Too much consistency can be seen as dogmatic and rigid and may stop the majority moving to the minority viewpoint. Members of the minority group need to be prepared to adapt their point of view and accept reasonable counter-arguments. Key is to strike a balance.
• If the minority remain consistent, commitment and flexible, the majority listen to their ideas, internalise them and move over to the minority's viewpoint. this starts slowly but builds momentum with more and more people moving over to the minority viewpoint (snowball effect)
• Moscovici -

  Research on 172 female ppts in a lab.

  Condition 1 - two people inconsistently called a blue slide green, showing little commitment. This had little effect on the majority (only 1 % changed their minds), the rest continued to call them blue.

  Condition 2 - the minority group called all the blue slides green, 8 % changed their answers.

  This shows the importance of a consistent and committed argument when a minority is trying to influence a majority.
• Minority influence AO3 -

  :) RTS Consistency - Moscovici

  :( Lacks mundane realism

  :) RTS Flexibility - Nemeth and Brilmayer
• Social Change - Change in attitudes, behaviours and laws. Not just with individuals but on a large scale - Suffragette movement 1920.