| What is minority influence? | A form of social influence in which a minoirty of people persuade others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. It can lead to internalisation, or conversion |
| What are the 3 things needed for minority influence? | Consistnecy,, commitment and flexibiltiy |
| What is consistency ? | The influence of a minority will be effective when it is consistent. Leads the majority groupt to question their own stance if the minoirty is so confiedent |
| What is synchronic consistency? | Agreement among the members of the minority group |
| What is diachronic consistency? | Minority maintains a consistnet position over time |
| What is commitment? | Suggests certiantiy, confidence and courage of face majority. Exert infleunce by showing dedication. Gives their message credibility seeing as people are unlikley to sugger for a cause that isn't worthwhile. Respect of the minority grows and majority is converted |
| What is flexibility? | A rigid position could lead to the idea that the minority is being dogmatic and norrow minded. Majority opinons shift if the minority is more flexible. They need to be committed but repared to adapt their pov. But not too flexbile or they will be seen as inconsistent |
| What was Moscovici's aim? | To see whether a consistent minorty of ppts could influence a majority to give an incorrect answer in a colour perception test |
| What was the procedure with ppts? | 172 females students will good eyesight, no colour blindness
6 ppts at the time were asked to estimate the colour of 36 slides. All the slides were blue but differing brightness. 2 out of the 6 ppts were confederates |
| What were the 3 different conditons? | Condition 1, consistent: 2 confederates called slides green in all 36 trials
Condition 2, inconsistent; 2 confederates called the slides green on two thirds of the trials
Control condition: No confederates present |
| Findings of the consistent condition? | Ppts called the slides green in 8.42% of the trails
32% called green at least once |
| Findings of the inconsistent trials? | Ppts called the slides green in only 1.25% of the trials |
| Findings of controlled condition? | Got the answer wrong on 0.25% of the trails |
| Conclusion of Moscovici's study? | Minorities can infleuce a majority in certain circumstances, consistency is important. Inconsistent minorties lack any real influence on majorities |
| A strength of minority influence? | Reserach support for consistency importance
Moscovici's study, foudn that consistent minority has a greater effect on changing the views of others than an inconsistent opinon
Wood et al carred meta-analysis with 100 similar studeis and found that when minorites were consistent were the most influential
Despite methodological issues with Moscovici's research it suggests that consistency is a major factor |
| A strength of minority influence? | Evidence that flexibility is important for MI
Nemeth and Brilmayer had a simulated jury, group members discussed compensation award for a ski lift accident. Confederate had an alternatvie view and they refused to change there was no effect. But when compromised there was a shift
Only evident in those who shifted late rather than early (caved in)
There are situational variables that can affect minority influence there flexbility is important but it also depends on the situaiton |
| A strength of minority influence | Research about the 'tipping point' of commitment where the size of the minority group is impreative to secure the conversion
Xian et al, study with computer modesl of social network where indivuals would chat with each other. Ppts were exposed to different views, 'traditional' views, those who were oepen and committed indivuals who expressed their view consistently
Only 10% of committed opinon holdders is necessary to tip the majority into accpeting the minority
Consistency, commitment and flexibility are not enough on their own, size of minority is also important |
| A weakness of minority influence? | Moscovici's research cant be applied to a large general population
The study used 172 females who weren’t colour blind and had good eyesight
sample’s results can’t be applied to males, due to the gender bias. It also can’t be applied to people who have bad eyesight, therefore this study has low population validity
Hard to apply so problematic |
