Minority influence

• Minority Influence


  A form of social influence where members of the majority group change their beliefs or behaviours because of the minority influencing their decision
• Minority must be


  • Consistent
  • Show commitment
  • Be flexible in their behaviour
• Consistency


  If the minority keep to the same beliefs, both over time (diachronic synchrony) and between all individuals that form the minority (synchronic consistency), the majority then reassess the situation and consider the minority idea more carefully
• Commitment


  The minority must show dedication and make personal sacrifices when facing a majority. This shows that they are not acting out of self interest and will also draw more attention to the cause, making the majority more likely to consider the view point (augmentation principle)
• Flexibility


  Whilst consistency of argument is important, too much consistency can be seen as dogmatic and rigid and may stop the majority moving over to the minority viewpoint. Members of the minority need to be prepared to adapt their point of view and accept reasonable counter-arguments
• Explaining the process of change


  1. Hearing something new makes people think more deeply about it, especially if the source of this other view is consistent, committed and flexible

  2. Over time, increasing numbers of people switch from the majority position to the minority position (snowball effect)

  3. Gradually the minority view has become the majority view and change has occurred
• Research to support consistency


  • Moscovici et al. study - minority consistently called blue slides green, 8% of majority changed their answers
  • Moscovici et al. study - minority inconsistently called blue slides green, only 1% of majority changed their answers
• Moscovici's research on minority influence rejuvenated the study of social influence
• Moscovici's research showed the importance of both consistency and commitment in minority influence
• Nemeth and Brilmayer's research showed that a flexible minority was able to influence the majority, while an inflexible minority had no effect
• Suffragette movement


  • Showed consistency in their belief that women should have equal rights
  • Showed dedication through hunger strikes
  • Were flexible in accepting women having the vote at age 30, finally winning the right to vote
• Nemeth and Brilmayer A03 


  Research to support flexibility.

  Created a mock jury situation to decide on amount of compensation to be paid to someone involved in a ski lift accident. When a Confederate put forward an alternative pov and refused to change his position no effect on other group members. However a confedeate who compromised did have an influence on rest of the group
• Moscovicis research lacks mundane realism 


  Unrealistic task of stating the colour of a slide. Therefore it is difficult to generalise findings to explain how minorities attempt to change majority opinion in real social situations e.g a jury deciding on a verdict whereby the outcomes are vastly important. Decreases usefulness
• Wendy Wood et Al 


  Carried out a meta analysis of almost 100 similar studies and found minorities seen as being the most consistent were most influential