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Minority influence research - A03 ONLY
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Describe and evaluate research into minority influence (16 Marks)A03:
One strength of minority influence is that there is research support for it. For example, in
Moscovici’s study it shows that consistency is an important part of minority influence. It is shown
that with consistent answers, participants gave the wrong answer on 8.42% of trials. Whereas when
answers were given inconsistently by minorities the percentage fell to 1.25% showing the impact on
consistency. Therefore, these statistics show that this is a strength of minority influence. Also, there
is research support for the fact that minority influence involves internalisation. In a variation of
Moscovici’s study, they wrote the answers down, so the answers were private rather than stated out
loud. Private agreement with the minority were greater in these circumstances. This therefore
supports that those in a variation did agree privately, which in turn supports the fact that the
minority influence had led to internalisation as the theory suggests.
One problem with Moscovici’s study is that it includes artificial tasks I.e., coloured slides meaning it
isn’t a realistic task. By having an artificial task it lowers the mundane realism as they don’t reflect
the types of tasks that may be completed in real life, so the task therefore lacks external validity.
Therefore, this research is limited as it suggests the minorities will only have an influence in artificial
tasks instead of real life.
Another problem is that the studies may lack rea life representation and majorities and minorities
may not be reflective on real life. Research studies usually make a clear distinction between majority
and minority but In real life this is much more complicated and there is much more involved in
minorities and majorities than just numbers. Majorities normally have much more power and
control and minorities are very committed to their causes because they have to face hostile
opposition – along with turning to each other for support. This is a limitation of the research into
minority influence as it may not relate to a real life situation and only to artificial groups.
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