Social Change

• When does social change occur?

  When whole societies adopt new attitudes, beliefs and ways of life.
• What are the three stages of the process of social change?

  1. Minority Influence
  2. Conformity
  3. Obedience
• What is deeper processing in the minority influence stage of the process of social change?

  Where the majority who previously accepted the status quo begin to think about the unjustness of it.
• What is the augmentation principle in the minority influence stage of the process of social change?

  This is where minorities make personal sacrifices or risk their lives to strengthen and reinforce their message.
• What is the snowball effect in the minority influence stage of the process of social change?

  This is where more and more people back the minorities position and the minority becomes the majority.
• What is social cryptomnesia in the minority influence stage of the process of social change?

  This is where people have a memory that change has occurred but do not remember how it happened.
• What happens in the obedience stage of the process of social change?


  Laws are changed by the government/policy makes, so that the change is now in direct order. Failure to change may result in punishment.
• What are the two components of the conformity stage of the process of social change?


  Normative Social Influence and Informational Social Infleunce