Minority influence

1
Minority influence

• Conformity research suggests that the majority
  exerts an important influence
• However, if the majority always wins, how does
  society ever change?
• Can a minority influence the majority?
• What determines whether they will succeed?

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2
Studies of minority influence

• Moscovici et al (1969)
• A study of minority influence
• Similar to the Asch study, but with a minority of
  confederates trying to influence a majority of
  real participants

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3
Studies of minority influence

• Moscovici et al (1969)
• Minority influence is possible but
• Smaller effect than majority influence
• Requires consistency
• Affects private attitudes (internalisation) not
  just public behaviour (compliance)
• Key process is informational influence

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4
Factors in minority influence

• Size of minority
• Spencer Perrin (1998)
• Consistency of minority
• Moscovici (1971)
• Confidence of minority
• Nemeth (1973)

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5
Minorities are successful if

• They share common ground with the majority
• One of us is more influential than one of
  them
• They are consistent and confident
• Their beliefs must appear strong

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6
Minorities are successful if

• They are non-dogmatic
• Reasonable people are more influential
• They work to draw attention to their viewpoint
• If the majority can ignore them, they will ignore
  them

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7
Minority influence processes

• Social Conflict
• Minority dissent produces conflict in society
• People move towards the minority to reduce
  conflict
• Snowballing
• As some individuals adopt the minority view they
  start to influence a greater number of people

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8
Minority influence processes

• Social Cryptamnesia
• By the time the minority view has become the
  majority, people have forgotten it was ever a
  minority view

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