Minority influence

• Minority influence


  Situations where a minority influences the beliefs and behaviour of others, distinct from majority influence/conformity
• Processes in minority influence

  • Consistency - minority must be consistent in their views

  Commitment - minority must demonstrate commitment to their cause

  Flexibility - minority must balance consistency and flexibility
• How minority influence creates social change

  Drawing attention through social proof

  Consistency of minority position

  Deeper processing of the issue by majority

  Augmentation principle - minority taking personal risks

  Snowball effect as more people switch to minority position

  Social cryptomnesia - people forget how change occurred
• Dissent from majority


  Breaks the power of the majority and encourages others to do likewise, with potential to lead to social change
• Conformity processes

  Can be exploited by providing information about what the majority are actually doing, to encourage social change
• Obedience

  Disobedient role models can dramatically reduce obedience, and gradual commitment can lead people to drift into new behaviours