the role of social influence processes in social change

• Social change

  When a society adopts a new belief or way of behaving.

  This then becomes widely accepted as the norm.
• Snowball effect


  Once a minority viewpoint has got the attention of some of the majority members, more and more people begin paying attention and the minority viewpoint gathers momentum until it reaches a tipping point.

  Example: Universal suffrage (all adult citizens having the vote) was finally accepted by the majority of people in the UK.
• Augmentation principle


  Minorities take risks to further the cause (suffer for the cause).

  Example: Suffragettes were willing to risk imprisonment, even death, in fighting for their views.
• Examples of social change

  Governments/lawmakers can bring about social change through power and through the process of obedience.

  Changing views on homosexuality

  Votes for women - Suffragettes
• What are the 6 stages by which social change occurs?

  1. Drawing attention to the issue.
  2. Consistency
  3. Deeper processing
  4. Augmentation principle
  5. The snowball effect
  6. Social cryptoamnesia
• Drawing attention


  Highlighting a concern/views/beliefs to society, provided social proof of the problem.

  Example: The suffragettes used educational, political and militant tactics to draw attention to the fact that women were denied the same voting rights as men.
• Consistency


  Continually/persistently displaying a message and intent.

  Example: Protests and political lobbying continued for years, plus the fact that women played a significant role in WW1, boosted their cause and eventually convinced society that some women were ready for the vote.
• Deeper processing


  Those who had simply accepted the status quo to begin to question their own views and beliefs.

  Example: The suffragettes created conflict between the existing status quo (only men allowed to vote) and their position (votes for women).
• Social cryptoamnesia


  Social change has occurred and people know a change has occurred but can’t remember how the change happened.
• Protestors make social change more likely

  Asch's research demonstrated that when one confederate always gave the correct answer, this broke the power of the majority - this enabled and encouraged others to dissent. This demonstrates the potential for social change.
• Majority influence and normative social influence


  Environmental and health campaigners exploit conformity by appealing to NSI. They provide information about what others are doing. Social change is encouraged by drawing attention to the majority's behaviour.
• Disobedient models make social change more likely


  Milgram's research demonstrated the importance of disobedient role models. In his variation. When one confederate refused to give shocks, the rate of obedience in genuine pps dropped significantly.
• Gradual commitment leads to 'drift'


  Zimbardo (2007) suggested how obedience can be used to create social change - once a smaller commitment has been made it becomes more difficult to resist a bigger one. People 'drift' into a new kind of behaviour
• + Research support for NSI leading to social change


  E - Nolan (2008) investigated people's energy used and posted messages on people's doors every day for a month, explaining how other residents were already reducing their energy use. This led to a reduction in energy use.

  E - This shows that simply thinking that the majority are showing a certain behaviour is enough to lead others to change their behaviour.

  L - Furthermore, this research also has ecological validity due to it not being an artificial situation. However, other research seems to contradict this.
• / Contradictory research for NSI leading to social change


  E - Completed meta-analysis on 70 studies where social norms approach was used to reduce student alcohol use. They found only a small reduction in drinking quantity and no effect on frequency.

  E - Shows that NSI doesn't always produce long term social change.

  L - Therefore, this shows it may be ineffective in achieving social change since the use of a meta-analysis makes this evidence reliable.
• / Barriers to social change


  E - Bashir et al found PPs were less likely to behave environmentally friendly because they didn't want to be associated with stereotypical minority environmentalists.

  E - Shows that for social change to be effective (particularly from minority influence), need to avoid reinforcing stereotypes.

  L - Therefore, if stereotypes are not enforced, social change might be enforceable in many areas.
• / Always individuals resistant to change


  E - There has been significant progress in LGBTQ+ rights around acceptance and legal recognition. However, there is still resistance where some individuals still hold onto discriminatory beliefs and behaviours.

  E - This shows that individual differences on attitudes/beliefs may effect the effectiveness of social change.

  L - Therefore, we need to consider the individual differences between everyone's attitudes to find ways to achieve social change.