Research into minority influence

• Minority influence is a form of social influence in which a minority of people (could be a single person) persuade the majority to adopt their beliefs, attitudes or behaviours. This usually leads to internalisation in which private attitudes are changed as well as public.
• 1. consistency


  At first people assume the minority is wrong because they have a different view. Nemeth: If the minority adopt a consistent approach, others think there must be a reason why the the minority are confident t maintain their position over time.
• 2. Consistency


  Some minorities demonstrate their commitment in extreme ways, which may pose a risk. This risk causes may make the majority pay attention to their view.
• 3. Flexibility 


  Mugny (1986) flexibility more effective at changing majority opinion than rigidity of arguments. To increase likelihood of conversion, minority needs to be prepared to remain open, comprimising and reasonable.
• Snowball effect

  • gradual process by which a minority opinion becomes a majority. At first, people who are covinced by the minority view is a few. However, as more and more people change their attitude, minority gains power and status. Eventually the minority gains so many converts that they becomev the majority and norm in society
• Key Study: Moscovici et al. (1969)

  • A  group of 6 people were asked to view a set of 36 blue-coloured slides that varied in intensity
  • They then had to state whether the slides were blue or green.
  • In each group there were 2 confederates (the minority) and 4 naïve participants
  • There were 3 conditions:
  • Consistent: The 2 confederates consistently said the slides were green
  • Inconsistent: The 2 confederates called the slides ‘green’ on two thirds of the trials and on one third called the slides ‘blue’
  • Control group: 6 naïve participants and no confederates
• Study Findings:

  • Consistent minority (confederates) influenced naïve participants to give wrong answers on 8.42% of trials.

  • Inconsistent minority had minimal influence (1.25% followed minority decision).

  • Control group had no confederates giving wrong answers.
• Nemeth and Brilmayer's Study on Minority Influence - support for flexibility

  • Conducted in simulated jury situation.

  • Confederate's alternative viewpoint had no effect on group.

  • Compromise of Confederate exerted influence.

  • Supports flexibility as key in minority influence.
• Real value of minority influence

  • A strength of minority influence is that being exposed to a minority position allows people to consider more options and make better decisions (Nemeth, 2010)
  • Dissenters (people who go against majority) stimulate creative thought among the majority and allow people to say what they truly believe
  • This shows that dissenters liberate people to say what they believe, and stimulate thought and debate even  when they are wrong
• Majority Influence Limitations - Majority influence remains popular in society.

  • Minority often unsuccessful in changing majority's opinion.

  • People quickly become irritated by persistent dissenting views.

  • Fear of group harmony leads to welcoming dissent.

  • Belief in minority views hinders majority's adoption.
• Minority Influence Research Limitations - tasks involved

  • Artificial tasks like slide coloration are used.

  • Research diverges from real-life minority influence attempts.

  • Outcomes are more important in jury decision making and political campaigns.

  • Minority influence studies lack external validity, limiting understanding of minority influence in real-life situations.