social influence and social change

• how do minority influence create social change?

  1 - drawing attention

  2 - consistency

  3 - deeper processing

  4 - augmentation principle

  5 - snowball effect

  6 - social cryptomnesia
• 1 - drawing attention 


  through social proof

  black and whites were segretated throughout America

  civil right marches drew attention to this situation providing social proof
• 2 - consistency 


  civil right activists were a minority but stayed consistent with their view

  over time, people joined their marches presenting the same issue
• 3 - deeper processing 


  people who had accepted the status quo started to think deeply about the situation
• 4 - augmentation principle 


  individuals risked their lives multiple times

  'freedom riders' were of mixed ethnic groups and challenged the segregation

  many were beaten

  personal risk reinforces their message
• 5 - snowball effect 


  activists gradualy got the attention of the US goverement

  more and more people backed the minority position

  after time discrimintion was made illegal
• 6 - social cryptomnesia 


  people have a memory that change occured but are unaware of how it happened
• research support for normative influences


  P: strength - research support

  E: researchers hung messages on peoples front doors saying to reduce energy

  E: some control houses had the same message but without the mention of other pople reducing energy as well

  L: the first group had significantly reduced their energy usage suggesting that normative social influence is a valid explanation.
• counterpoint 


  P: limitation - behaviour not always changed after exposed to social norms

  E: a researcher reviewed a report including over 70 studies where the social norm approch was used to reduce student alcohol use

  E: researcher only found a small decrease in drinking quantity and no effect on drinking frequency

  L: therefore normative influence does not always produce long-term change
• minority influence explains change

  P: strength - psychologists can explain how minority influence brings about social change

  E: when people consider minority arguments, they engage in more broad thinking where the thinker actively searches for information

  E: this leads to better decisions and creative solutions to social issues

  L: therefore dessenting minorities are valuable
• role of deeper processing

  P: limitation - may not play a role in how minorities bring about change

  E: researcher presents evidence that it is majority influence that may create deeper processing if you do not share their views

  E: this is because we like to believe that other people share our views so when we find out the majority believes something different we are forced to think about their arguments

  L: therefore the validity of minority influence is challenged