social change

• social change

  • shift in the beliefs or behaviour of an entire population
  • previously widely accepted norm changes to something new
• minority influence

  • main cause of social change, minority group manages to persuade majority to adopt their view via being committed, flexible and consistant
  • minority must have internal locus of control to resist compliance and disobey authority to drive their point into limelight
• snow ball effect

  • when minority begins to be successful, new idea spreads and build up over time to eventually be adopted by majoritt opinion
  • conversion is higher than number of people with previous majority opinion
  • new majority tends to be inforced by law- people forced to obey
• example


  shift in attitudes towards race and sexuality- used to be norm now it is a hateful act and classed as illegal
• explain how social influence processes contribute to social change(4)

  • minorities contribute via flexibility, consistancy and commitment(explain)
  • through social crypto-amnesia and snowball effect minority gradually becomes majority
  • influence of obediance-changes to the laws
  • majority influence can occur via normative social influence