SECTION: Minority influence and Social Change
TOPIC: Social Influence
SUMMARY OF KEY IDEAS (K/U)
1. Social Change is when whole societies adopt new behaviours and beliefs which become the social ‘norm’ usually due
to the influence of the minority. It is often a slow process, as the change requires deeper processing but gradually the
social norm forms through the snowball effect.
2. The minority must use inf ormative social influence, the majority will only change behaviour if they genuinely
believe the minority is right. (Internalisation.)
3. 6 Processes to Social Change by minority influence:
Drawing Attention – social proof that there is an opposing opinion by the minority working together to draw attention to
the problem (marches)
Consistency – the position must remain consistent for long period of time to repeat the same message (civil right
marches over many years)
Cognitive Conflict – the actions taken begin to cause people to think deeply about their acceptation to social norms,
others rethink their own views
Augmentation Principle – individuals make take personal sacrifices and risk to show the dedication and power in their
belief, (many civil rights activists were beaten showing their opposition.)
Snowball Effect – eventually the minority is backed by more people and becomes the majority. This can be sped up
through laws that may be put in place to permanently change certain behaviours (the civil rights act prohibited
discrimination.
Social Cryptomnesia – when change has occurred from minority influence the memory of how it happened is often
forgotten, not a lot of credit is given and is taken for granted. (The new social norm.)
4. Explanations/evidence through research
In Asch’s study when a dissenter was added (disobeyed the majority) the power and unanimity of the group was
broken encouraging people to follow the dissent. This explains the snowball effect.
MILGRAM’S study shows the importance of a disobedient role model for a total decrease in obedience e.g.
CONFEDERATE TEACHER REFUSES to give shocks
Normative social influence has been used by campaigns (environmental) to encourage conformity to fit in. Messages
PEEL WEAKNESS PEEL WEAKNESS
It is difficult to test mechanisms behind social change Theories/methods allow minorities to have a chance in
scientifically, so it can be said to be an abstract idea. changing the majority view… but
Theories lack scientific credibility. Barriers to social change – In some cases social change is
still resisted even if behaviour is agreed with (not
BUT Real examples of social change, e.g. Martin Luther internalised) as people do not want to be associated with
King Jr/Suffragettes, all seem to follow the pattern opposing groups.
suggested by research into social influence. Offers For example, environmentalists are often called ‘tree
mundane realism. huggers’ this stereotype stops people changing publicly
PEEL STRENGTH creating resistance.
Research has shown social influence processes do work Doesn’t consider individual differences.
for social change.
One social experiment aimed to see if they could change PEEL WEAKNESS
people’s energy habits through normative social The role of deeper processing – Deeper processing is
influence. For one month the researcher hung messages said to play a key role in minority influence, people
on residents’ doors stating people in the are reducing change their views as they have thought more deeply
their usage, as a control group the message just asked about the idea. But some disagree, some suggest people
them to save energy. change their views to fit in with the new social norms
There were significant decreases in energy consumption being created, there may be no true social change at all
from those who were told others were doing it too. This but just society following/being forced to think the same
shows conformity can lead to social change, and NSI is a as others (to share views with others is important.)
valid explanation.
TOPIC: Social Influence
SUMMARY OF KEY IDEAS (K/U)
1. Social Change is when whole societies adopt new behaviours and beliefs which become the social ‘norm’ usually due
to the influence of the minority. It is often a slow process, as the change requires deeper processing but gradually the
social norm forms through the snowball effect.
2. The minority must use inf ormative social influence, the majority will only change behaviour if they genuinely
believe the minority is right. (Internalisation.)
3. 6 Processes to Social Change by minority influence:
Drawing Attention – social proof that there is an opposing opinion by the minority working together to draw attention to
the problem (marches)
Consistency – the position must remain consistent for long period of time to repeat the same message (civil right
marches over many years)
Cognitive Conflict – the actions taken begin to cause people to think deeply about their acceptation to social norms,
others rethink their own views
Augmentation Principle – individuals make take personal sacrifices and risk to show the dedication and power in their
belief, (many civil rights activists were beaten showing their opposition.)
Snowball Effect – eventually the minority is backed by more people and becomes the majority. This can be sped up
through laws that may be put in place to permanently change certain behaviours (the civil rights act prohibited
discrimination.
Social Cryptomnesia – when change has occurred from minority influence the memory of how it happened is often
forgotten, not a lot of credit is given and is taken for granted. (The new social norm.)
4. Explanations/evidence through research
In Asch’s study when a dissenter was added (disobeyed the majority) the power and unanimity of the group was
broken encouraging people to follow the dissent. This explains the snowball effect.
MILGRAM’S study shows the importance of a disobedient role model for a total decrease in obedience e.g.
CONFEDERATE TEACHER REFUSES to give shocks
Normative social influence has been used by campaigns (environmental) to encourage conformity to fit in. Messages
PEEL WEAKNESS PEEL WEAKNESS
It is difficult to test mechanisms behind social change Theories/methods allow minorities to have a chance in
scientifically, so it can be said to be an abstract idea. changing the majority view… but
Theories lack scientific credibility. Barriers to social change – In some cases social change is
still resisted even if behaviour is agreed with (not
BUT Real examples of social change, e.g. Martin Luther internalised) as people do not want to be associated with
King Jr/Suffragettes, all seem to follow the pattern opposing groups.
suggested by research into social influence. Offers For example, environmentalists are often called ‘tree
mundane realism. huggers’ this stereotype stops people changing publicly
PEEL STRENGTH creating resistance.
Research has shown social influence processes do work Doesn’t consider individual differences.
for social change.
One social experiment aimed to see if they could change PEEL WEAKNESS
people’s energy habits through normative social The role of deeper processing – Deeper processing is
influence. For one month the researcher hung messages said to play a key role in minority influence, people
on residents’ doors stating people in the are reducing change their views as they have thought more deeply
their usage, as a control group the message just asked about the idea. But some disagree, some suggest people
them to save energy. change their views to fit in with the new social norms
There were significant decreases in energy consumption being created, there may be no true social change at all
from those who were told others were doing it too. This but just society following/being forced to think the same
shows conformity can lead to social change, and NSI is a as others (to share views with others is important.)
valid explanation.
