Minority Influence
A01 - KNOWLEDGE A03 - EVALUATION
Describe and evaluate research into minority influence
- Minority influence refers to - There is research evidence to show
situations where one person or a that change to a minority position
small group of people influences does involve deeper processing of
the beliefs and behaviour of other ideas. Martin et al gave Ps a message
people. supporting a particular viewpoint and
- Minority influence is most likely to measured their support. One group
lead to internalisation, where both of Ps then a minority group agree
public behaviour and private beliefs with the initial view while another
are changed by the process. group heard this from a majority
Consistency group. Ps were finally exposed to a
- The consistency in the minority's conflicting view and attitudes were
views increases the amount of measured again. Martin et al found
interest from other people. This that people were less willing to
consistency might be agreement change their opinions if they had
between people in the minority listened to a minority group rather
group. Synchronic consistency is than if they were shared with a
when they are all saying the same majority group. This suggests that the
thing and diachronic synchrony is minority message had been more
when they have been saying the deeply processed and had a more
same time thing for some time enduring effect, supporting the
now. Such consistency makes other central argument about how the
people start to rethink their own minority influence process works
views. - A limitation of minority influence
Commitment research is that the tasks involved are
- Commitment is important in the as artificial as Asch's line judgement
influence process because it task. Research is therefore far
suggests certainty, confidence and removed from how minorities
courage in the face of a hostile attempt to change the behaviour of
majority. Because joining a majorities in real life. In cases such as
minority inevitably has greater cost jury decision making and political
for the individual than staying with campaigning, the outcomes are vastly
the majority, the degree of more important, sometimes even
commitment shown by minority literally a matter of life or death. This
group members is typically greater. means findings of minority influence
This greater commitment may then studies such as Moscovici et al's are
persuade majority group members lacking in external validity and are
to take them seriously. This is limited in what they can tell us about
called the augmentation principle. how minority influence works in real-
life social situations
Flexibility
- Mugny suggests that flexibility is - Nemeth argues that dissent, in the
A01 - KNOWLEDGE A03 - EVALUATION
Describe and evaluate research into minority influence
- Minority influence refers to - There is research evidence to show
situations where one person or a that change to a minority position
small group of people influences does involve deeper processing of
the beliefs and behaviour of other ideas. Martin et al gave Ps a message
people. supporting a particular viewpoint and
- Minority influence is most likely to measured their support. One group
lead to internalisation, where both of Ps then a minority group agree
public behaviour and private beliefs with the initial view while another
are changed by the process. group heard this from a majority
Consistency group. Ps were finally exposed to a
- The consistency in the minority's conflicting view and attitudes were
views increases the amount of measured again. Martin et al found
interest from other people. This that people were less willing to
consistency might be agreement change their opinions if they had
between people in the minority listened to a minority group rather
group. Synchronic consistency is than if they were shared with a
when they are all saying the same majority group. This suggests that the
thing and diachronic synchrony is minority message had been more
when they have been saying the deeply processed and had a more
same time thing for some time enduring effect, supporting the
now. Such consistency makes other central argument about how the
people start to rethink their own minority influence process works
views. - A limitation of minority influence
Commitment research is that the tasks involved are
- Commitment is important in the as artificial as Asch's line judgement
influence process because it task. Research is therefore far
suggests certainty, confidence and removed from how minorities
courage in the face of a hostile attempt to change the behaviour of
majority. Because joining a majorities in real life. In cases such as
minority inevitably has greater cost jury decision making and political
for the individual than staying with campaigning, the outcomes are vastly
the majority, the degree of more important, sometimes even
commitment shown by minority literally a matter of life or death. This
group members is typically greater. means findings of minority influence
This greater commitment may then studies such as Moscovici et al's are
persuade majority group members lacking in external validity and are
to take them seriously. This is limited in what they can tell us about
called the augmentation principle. how minority influence works in real-
life social situations
Flexibility
- Mugny suggests that flexibility is - Nemeth argues that dissent, in the
