Minority Influence

• What is minority influence?

  A form of social influence where members of the majority group change their beliefs or behaviours as a result of their exposure to a persuasive minority.
• What are the three behavioural styles needed to enhance the influence of the minority?

  Commitment, consistency and flexibility
• What is commitment?

  The degree to which members of a minority are dedicated to a particular cause or activity- the greater the commitment, the greater the influence
• What is the augmentation principle?

  The more risky the actions the more commitment this demonstrates- leaves the majority thinking ‘they must really believe in this if they’re willing to get hurt…’
• What is consistency?

  Minority influence is effective when the minority keeps the same beliefs, both over time, and between different members of the minority group.
• What are the two types of consistency?

  Synchronic and diachronic consistency
• What is synchronic consistency?

  Consistency between people in the minority
• What is diachronic consistency?

  Consistency over time
• What is flexibility?

  Minority influence is effective when they show a willingness to compromise when expressing a position.
• What is the snowball effect?

  The more people who ‘convert’ to the minority view the faster the rate of conversion
• Name the study which shows support for consistency in influencing the majority

  Moscovici et al. (1969)
• What was the procedure of Moscovici et al.’s (1969) study?


  x 172 participants tested to ensure they were not colour blind x In groups of 6 (3 other ptpts and 2 confederates) participants asked to state colour of 36 slides. x All slides were different shades of blue x Condition A: The confederates were CONSISTENT and called the slides green on all trials. x Condition B: The confederates were INCONSISTENT and called the slides green 24 times and blue 12 times. X Control: Six naïve participants with no confederates
• What were the results of Moscovici et al.'s (1969) study?


  x Control group = only 0.25% of the participants reported any green slides. x Consistent group = participants answered ‘green’ in 8.42% of the trials x Inconsistent group = participants answered ‘green’ in 1.25% of the trials.