Conformity Minority influence Minority influence including reference to consistency, commitment and flexibility.

Minority influence AO1 To outline the three factors that make a minority influential. AO2 To apply understanding of minority influence to explain how minorities can create change AO3 Evaluate research support for CFC

Quick Quiz 1.What are the two explanations of obedience that you need to know for the exam? (2) 2.What is Locus of Control? (3) 3.If someone has a belief that things happen without their control – what can you say about them? (Refer to LoC and obedience levels) (1) 4.How can you use Holland’s variation of Milgram’s study to support LoC? (2) 5.What is the key study you need to know for minority influence? (1) 6.What three characteristics does a minority need to have to bring about change? (3)

Quick Quiz 1.Legitimate Authority and Agentic Shift 2.Refers to the sense we each have about what directs events in our lives. Internals believe they are mostly responsible for what happens to them (internal LoC), and externals believe it is mainly a matter of luck or other outside forces (external LoC). 3.They have an external LoC 4.He repeated Milgram’s baseline study and measured whether pps were internals or externals. He found that 37% of internals did not continue to the highest level (showed some resistance), whereas 25% of externals did not continue. 5.Moscovici et al. (1969) 6.Commitment, Flexibility, Consistency

Derek Sivers: Quick TED Talk Derek Sivers: Quick TED Talk The importance of the snowball effect

What characteristics do these individuals have that has made them bring about social change?

CFC Consistency – Minority influence is most effective if the minority keeps the same beliefs, both over time and between all the individuals that form the minority. It’s effective because it draws attention to the minority view. Commitment – minority influence is more powerful if the minority demonstrates dedication to their position, for example by making personal sacrifices. This is effective because it shows the minority is not acting out of self- interest. Augmentation principle? Flexibility – relentless consistency could be counter- productive if it is seen by the majority as unbending and unreasonable. Therefore minority influence is more effective if the minority show flexibility by accepting the possibility of compromise. Nemeth (1986)?

Think about how the suffragettes provided evidence for the power of minority influence in social change… (AO2)

The behavioural style of the suffragettes The suffragettes used a variety of educational, political and militant tactics to highlight the fact that women were denied the same political right as men. The suffragettes advocated a different political voting arrangement to that already in place. This created a ………… in the minds of the majority. Some of which dismissed the suffragettes as trouble makers, but others moved towards the suffragette position. Those that moved to the suffragette position would have experienced a particular type of social influence where they genuinely believe that the suffragettes were right in what they were saying. The suffragettes did not change their position, regardless of the attitudes around them. Moscovici argued that this is a key factor in the success of a minority influence. The suffragettes were willing to suffer to make their point heard e.g. risking imprisonment or even death from hunger strikes. This meant that they were taken more seriously by the majority. Initially only small numbers moved to adopting the suffragette’s point of view but increasingly more and more people accepted their point of view. Eventually it became the point of view held by the majority and could no longer be ignored. Women were eventually given the vote in Consistency Augmentation principle Draw attention to cause Informational social influence The role of conflict Snowball effect

The behavioural style of the suffragettes The suffragettes used a variety of educational, political and militant tactics to highlight the fact that women were denied the same political right as men. The suffragettes advocated a different political voting arrangement to that already in place. This created a ………… in the minds of the majority. Some of which dismissed the suffragettes as trouble makers, but others moved towards the suffragette position. Those that moved to the suffragette position would have experienced a particular type of social influence where they genuinely believe that the suffragettes were right in what they were saying. The suffragettes did not change their position, regardless of the attitudes around them. Moscovici argued that this is a key factor in the success of a minority influence. The suffragettes were willing to suffer to make their point heard e.g. risking imprisonment or even death from hunger strikes. This meant that they were taken more seriously by the majority. Initially only small numbers moved to adopting the suffragette’s point of view but increasingly more and more people accepted their point of view. Eventually it became the point of view held by the majority and could no longer be ignored. Women were eventually given the vote in 1918.

The behavioural style of the suffragettes The suffragettes used a variety of educational, political and militant tactics to highlight the fact that women were denied the same political right as men. The suffragettes advocated a different political voting arrangement to that already in place. This created a ………… in the minds of the majority. Some of which dismissed the suffragettes as trouble makers, but others moved towards the suffragette position. Those that moved to the suffragette position would have experienced a particular type of social influence where they genuinely believe that the suffragettes were right in what they were saying. The suffragettes did not change their position, regardless of the attitudes around them. Moscovici argued that this is a key factor in the success of a minority influence. The suffragettes were willing to suffer to make their point heard e.g. risking imprisonment or even death from hunger strikes. This meant that they were taken more seriously by the majority. Initially only small numbers moved to adopting the suffragette’s point of view but increasingly more and more people accepted their point of view. Eventually it became the point of view held by the majority and could no longer be ignored. Women were eventually given the vote in 1918.

Tackling obesity Jamie Oliver has been trying to change attitudes for a LONG time. What advice would you give him so that he can be an effective minority influence who will change the views of Britons?

(1) Point: Flexibility, consistency and commitment from a minority allow people to stop and think, and really consider the point of view. Evidence: Elaborate: Link:

(2) Point: Moscovici et al.’s study showed that a consistent minority opinion showed that a consistent minority had a greater effect of other people than an inconsistent opinion. Evidence: Elaborate: Link:

(3) Point: A limitation of minority influence research is that it is artificial, and therefore lacking in mundane realism. This means that it becomes more difficult to relate it real life situations. Evidence: Elaborate: Link:

(4) Point: Evidence: Variation of Moscovici’s study where answers were private showed pps showed a change in view, only privately Elaborate: What does this tell us about how the minority influence process works? Link:

(5) Point: Evidence: Variation of Moscovici’s study where answers were private showed pps showed a change in view, only privately Elaborate: What does this tell us about how the minority influence process works? Link:

Read the item and then answer the question that follows. The following article appeared in a newspaper: Britain’s views on homosexuality – the biggest social change of the last 30 years? In the UK, views on homosexuality have changed significantly in recent times. Thirty years ago, almost two-thirds of the British public opposed same-sex relationships because they were ‘morally wrong’. These days, homosexuality is accepted and the majority of British people support recent changes to the laws on gay marriage and adoption. With reference to the article above, explain how social influence leads to social change. (Total 6 marks)

LevelMarksDescription 35 – 6 Knowledge of social influence processes related to social change is clear and generally well detailed. Application to changing views of homosexuality is mostly clear and effective. The answer is generally coherent with appropriate use of terminology. 23 – 4 Knowledge of social influence processes related to social change is evident. There is some effective application to changing views of homosexuality. The answer lacks clarity in places. Terminology is used appropriately on occasions. 11 – 2 Knowledge of social influence processes related to social change is limited. Application to changing views of homosexuality is either absent or inappropriate. The answer as a whole lacks clarity and has inaccuracies. Terminology is either absent or inappropriately used. 0No relevant content. AO2 = 6 Possible content: Application of social influence research to changing views of homosexuality from the following: factors affecting minority influence including consistency, commitment and flexibility social change occurs when minority view, e.g. Gay Rights campaigners, challenges majority view and is eventually accepted as the majority theory related to conformity such as informational social influence and / or internalisation influence of obedience, e.g. changes to the laws making equal rights more of a social norm credit other relevant points, e.g. influence of media, as long as they are rooted in sound psychology can also credit theories linked to minority influence, e.g. social impact theory, snowball effect, social cryptoamnesia.

Tackling obesity Everyone agrees that Britain is in an obesity crisis – 65% of men and 58% of women are now overweight or obese. Heart disease, certain cancers and especially type 2 diabetes are all on the increase, costing the NHS billions of pounds every year. As an expert in social influence, you have now been asked by Jamie Oliver to help him out to change the attitudes and behaviours across the whole of society by first speaking to the government. What advice would you give the government department worried about the developing obesity crisis. Using your knowledge of how both (i) conformity and (ii) obedience processes can influence social change, explain what advice you would give the government. Make sure you refer to social influence research in your advice. Experts agree that any improvement in the situation is going to require significant changes in attitudes and behaviours across the whole of society.

In groups of 4… Teach me: What the special role of minority influence is What we have learnt about social change from conformity research Nolan et al. (2008) Schultz et al. (2008) What we have learnt about social change from obedience research How do minority and majority influences differ in the processes that happen? Mackie (1987)

Answer: Group 1: Apply it: Methods: Normative influence and social change Group 2: Apply it: Concepts: Minority influence and social change

Seminar One-on-one sessions Checking notes for revision strategies covered in last week’s seminar Past paper questions to be answered, and reviewed as a class.